Tag: g1 results

NJPW G1 Climax 29 night 13 results: Okada vs. SANADA

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The G1 Climax 29 continued today in Osaka with A Block action. 

Here are the results and match recaps. 

**********

JUICE ROBINSON & TOA HENARE DEFEATED REN NARITA & YOTA TSUJI

Henare worked most of the match for his team. He gave the Young Lions quite a bit of offense, but pinned Tsuji with a Toa Bottom. 

TOMOHIRO ISHII, HIROOKI GOTO & YOSHI-HASHI DEFEATED TORU YANO, JEFF COBB & TOMOAKI HONMA

Not much to this one. 

Goto and Cobb had a nice exchange after some early Yano comedy. Honma and YH paired off. After missing one kokeshi, Honma hit two in a row. 

The match broke down, leaving YH and Honma the legal men, and YH used the Butterfly Lock to submit Honma. 

TETSUYA NAITO, SHINGO TAKAGI & BUSHI DEFEATED MINORU SUZUKI, TAICHI & YOSHINOBU KANEMARU

Suzuki-gun turned this into a crowd brawl at the outset. BUSHI made a comeback against Suzuki, and Naito and Taichi got tags. 

Taichi targeted Naito’s ear, which had been busted open the other night. Naito hit a flying forearm, and Kanemaru and Shingo tagged in. 

Kanemaru hit a satelite DDT. Suzuki entered for the illegal double-team. Near the finish, Suzuki, Naito, BUSHI and Taichi brawled to the outside. 

Shingo caught Kanemaru coming off the top rope, then hit a pop-up DVD, a Pumping Bomber, then used Made in Japan for the pin. The way they worked to the finish was excellent.

Naito and Shingo face off tomorrow. They shared the LIJ fist bump after the match, but then had a brief staredown. 

JAY WHITE & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED JON MOXLEY & SHOTA UMINO

This was fun and told a good story. White was afraid of Moxley and did everything he could to avoid him. 

Umino had Owens in a crab, and it looked as though Owens would tap, but White made the save. Moxley jumped in and chased White outside. Owens hit a dropkick through the ropes, taking out Moxley. 

Back inside, Owens hit a knee strike, then tagged White. White hit the Blade Runner right away, and pinned Umino. 

A BLOCK MATCH: BAD LUCK FALE DEFEATED KENTA (7:20)

Fale tried for a tree slam right off the bat, but KENTA avoided it. Fale took the referee, allowing Jado to hit a kendo stick shot on KENTA from the floor. 

Fale sent KENTA into the barricade, then worked over his lower back with stomps. KENTA tried to fire up with slaps, but Fale countered with his own slap, and KENTA fell to the mat. 

KENTA used a guillotine to clothesline Fale on the top roe, then targeted his legs with dropkicks. KENTA hit a series of boots in the corner, then hit a delayed dropkick. 

KENTA hit a double stomp off the top. He covered, but only got a two count. KENTA teased the Go To Sleep, but he couldn’t get Fale up. Fale hit a lariat, then covered for a nearfall. 

Fale went for the Grenade, but KENTA jumped up and slapped on a triangle choke. He transitioned to the Game Over submission, but Chase Owens jumped up from the commentary table to distract the ref. 

With Owens distracting the referee, Jado entered and tried to hit KENTA with the kendo stick. KENTA caught the stick, but Fale used the distraction to schoolboy him for the pin. 

KENTA worked well with Fale, which is no easy task. All of the interference was to be expected given how many bells and whistles you need to make a Fale match passable. 

A BLOCK MATCH: ZACK SABRE JR. DEFEATED LANCE ARCHER (10:44)

The contrast in styles here made for a good story, and this felt like two guys trying to win an athletic contest. It had a real sports feel. Good stuff. 

Sabre made Archer chase him at the outset, figuring that he would have an edge when it came to agility. Archer kipped up off a trip takedown, and Sabre was forced to think of another strategy. 

Archer went for a twisting body press out of the corner, but missed. Sabre tried for a guillotine, but Archer threw him off. Sabre rolled outside. Archer teased a flip dive off the apron, but Sabre jumped to the apron, then used the ropes to slow Archer. He applied a guillotine, but Archer fought it off. 

Archer tried for a pounce, but Sabre caught him in a guillotine in a nice misdirection spot. Archer reached the ropes, then tried his rope-walk. Sabre crotched Archer, then tried another guillotine. Archer pushed Sabre off, then hit a crossbody off the top for a nearfall. 

Back on the mat, Sabre was able to get a triangle choke applied, then transitioned to an omoplata. Archer reached the ropes, forcing a break. Archer hit a powerbomb for a two count. 

Archer went for the EBD Claw, but Sabre avoided it. Sabre went after Archer’s arms with kicks. Archer came back with a Boss Man Slam for a nearfall. 

Archer hit a chokeslam. He had Sabre pinned, but he pulled him up at the count of two to do more damage. Archer went for Blackout, but Sabre slid out the back. Sabre applied a rear naked choke, then pulled Archer down into a crucifix for a pin. 

A BLOCK MATCH: EVIL DEFEATED WILL OSPREAY (17:09)

At a certain point, you run out of superlatives for Ospreay matches. This was excellent, but probably not even in the top ten best Ospreay matches this year. EVIL was great here as well. He is a master of misdirection spots. 

Ospreay came out on top in the opening sequence, sending EVIL to the outside. He teased a dive, but posed instead. EVIL tried to bait Ospreay with a chair, but Ospreay declined it, and allowed EVIL to get back inside. 

EVIL missed a senton. Ospreay tried a standing shooting star, but EVIL got his knees up. EVIL sent Ospreay to the floor with a clothesline, then used a chair shot on the ramp to take control of the bout. 

EVIL used a chinlock, then went for a vertical suplex. Ospreay twisted out of the suplex, turning it into a cutter. Ospreay hit a flying forearm, then connected with Pip Pip Cheerio for a nearfall. 

Ospreay missed with a Robinson Special. EVIL hit a mid kick, then suplexed Ospreay into the buckle. Ospreay got a brief hope spot with a trip takedown in the corner, but EVIL cut him off with a corner clothesline. 

EVIL teased a superplex, but Ospreay fought it off. EVIL tried to use the referee as the base for a Magic Killer, but Ospreay slipped out. Ospreay sent EVIL to the outside with a backflip kick, then hit a Sasuke Special. 

Ospreay hit a coast-to-coast for a two count. Ospreay hit a tiger wall flip, but EVIL cut him off with a big lariat. They exchanged strikes on the mat. They climbed to their feet, still trading. EVIL dropped Ospreay to his knees with a big forearm. 

EVIL went for Darkness Falls. After a series of reversals, he finally connected with the move for a nearfall. EVIL tried for Everything is EVIL, but Ospreay reversed it into a Liger Bomb for a great nearfall. 

Ospreay hit a hook kick. He missed with a Hidden Blade, but followed up with another hook kick. EVIL survived the exchange, then hit a headbutt. EVIL hit the ropes, but ran right into a Spanish Fly. Ospreay hit an Oscutter, but EVIL kicked out at two. 

Ospreay called for Storm Breaker. EVIL slid out. EVIL tried for a German, but Ospreay landed on his feet, then hit a Robinson Special. 

Ospreay tried for a super Oscutter, but EVIL caught him, then hit two half-and-half suplexes. EVIL hit a lariat for a two count. 

EVIL followed up with Everything is EVIL, and got the 1-2-3. 

A BLOCK MATCH: KOTA IBUSHI DEFEATED HIROSHI TANAHASHI (15:54)

This was a great match, and felt like a career-defining moment for Ibushi. 

They made the psychology of the match clear from the outset. Tana has bad knees, and wanted to keep Ibushi grounded. 

So, after an early exchange of headlocks, Ibushi hit a dropkick. Tana had enough of that, and took Ibushi down. He worked over Ibushi’s legs with kicks and stomps. 

Ibushi came back with a big mid kick, then hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Tana came back with a dropkick to the legs, then a dragon screw to the right leg. Tana hit a second dragon screw to the right leg, then applied a cloverleaf. Ibushi stayed in the hold for a long time, but finally reached the ropes. 

Ibushi rolled to the apron. Tanahashi hit a rope-assisted dragon screw to Ibushi’s left leg. Tana went up top and teased a High Fly Flow to the floor, but Ibushi cut him off, then hit a rana off the top rope, back into the ring. 

Ibushi avoided a low dropkick, and landed a double stomp. Ibushi lawn-darted Tana into the turnbuckle, and Tana rolled to the apron. Ibushi climbed the ropes, and hit a deadlift German for a two count. 

Tana avoided a Last Ride, and hit a slap to the face. Ibushi no-sold it. They traded a series of slaps to the face and neither man sold any of them. Ibushi finally ended the sequence with a lariat, into a double down. Ibushi was bleeding from the mouth. 

Ibushi hit a Last Ride, but only got a two count. Ibushi went for Kamigoye, but Tana reversed into Twist and Shout, which he hit three times. Tana hit slingblade for a nearfall. 

Tanahashi went up top, and landed a standing High Fly Flow. He went for another with Ibushi down, but Ibushi rolled out of the way, and Tanahashi sold his right knee on the landing. 

Ibushi hit a Bomaye, but Tanahashi kicked out. 

Ibushi went for Kamigoye, but Tanahashi turned it into a cradle for a nearfall. 

Ibushi hit a high kick, but Tana didn’t go down. Ibushi hit a second high kick, and Tana dropped to the mat. 

Ibushi followed with a Kamigoye for the pin. 

Ibushi was in tears after the match. Tanahashi pulled Ibushi in and shared some words with him. This was clearly very meaningful to Ibushi and a very cool moment. 

I won’t call this a passing of the torch, because I think Tanahashi will be in the top mix as long as he can walk. That said, with Ibushi signed long-term, this certainly felt like he was permanently placed in the main event picture with this win. 

A BLOCK MATCH: SANADA DEFEATED KAZUCHIKA OKADA (29:48)

This was superb. Almost as important as the wrestlers in the match, referee Red Shoes was incredible in his role. Without him selling the near-submissions towards the end, this would not have been nearly as dramatic. 

They began with some very basic stuff, trading headlocks and leg sweeps. SANADA hit a dropkick, then scored with a back elbow. Okada came back with his own back elbow for a knockdown, a back elbow in the corner, then a DDT out of the corner for a nearfall. 

SANADA avoided a top rope elbow, and Okada rolled through. SANADA went to the top rope, but Okada hit a dropkick, sending him to the floor. Okada sent SANADA into the barricade, then knocked him over the railing with a big boot. 

Still outside, Okada hit a draping DDT off the barricade. They did a countout tease, but SANADA got back in at 15. With SANADA seated, Okada hit a dropkick. Okada covered with one boot, but Red Shoes refused to count. Okada flat out playing heel. 

Okada hit an uppercut. He teased a dropkick, but SANADA hit a low dropkick to Okada’s legs. SANADA followed with his leapfrog dropkick. Okada rolled to the outside, and SANADA hit a pescado. 

Back inside, SANADA used the paradise lock. He broke the hold with a dropkick to Okada, then covered for a two count. After a series of reversals in the corner, Okada hit a flapjack, into a double down.

Okada missed a dropkick, and SANADA hit one instead. SANADA hit a back suplex for a two count. SANADA teased a springboard dropkick, but Okada cut him off with an air raid crash. Okada hit a top rope elbow. 

Okada hit his Rainmaker pose. SANADA reversed the Rainmaker into Skull End. Okada fought to the turnbuckle, stepped up, and flipped over into a tombstone. Okada went for a Rainmaker, but SANADA turned it into a draping neckbreaker, as they went to another double down. 

They exchanged strikes from their knees. They climbed back to their feet, and Okada started to trash-talk. Okada demanded that SANADA hit him in the neck. SANADA obliged, and they continued to trade shots. 

SANADA finally dropped Okada with a series of hard uppercuts. Okada came right back with two dropkicks. Okada teased a Rainmaker, but SANADA ducked under. SANADA tried for Skull End. Okada slipped to tombstone position, but SANADA pulled him back into Skull End. SANADA gave up the hold, then hit a tiger suplex for a nearfall. 

SANADA hit a TKO for a two count. SANADA went for a moonsault. Okada got out of the way, and SANADA landed on his feet. SANADA hit a moonsault into Skull End, but Okada pulled out of the hold and hit a short Rainmaker. 

Okada maintained control of SANADA’s wrist, and hit a second Rainmaker. Okada posed. He went for a spinning Rainmaker, but SANADA countered with his own Rainmaker. 

SANADA used a spinning Skull End. He dropped to the mat, and used a bodyscissors, with Skull End still applied. Okada popped his head out of the hold, as SANADA kept the bodyscissors applied. 

SANADA managed to get back to Skull End from the bodyscissors. Okada sat back into a pinning position for a nearfall. 

SANADA pulled Okada back into Skull End. SANADA finally gave up the hold. 

With two minutes left, SANADA went for a moonsault. Okada got his knees up, and we got another double down, this one with time running short. 

SANADA went for Skull End, but Okada escaped, and hit a dropkick. Okada went for a Rainmaker, but SANADA turned it into a pop-up TKO. 

SANADA hit two moonsaults, and finally got the pin. 

G1 STANDINGS

A BLOCK

⦁ Kazuchika Okada 12

⦁ Kota Ibushi 10

⦁ Hiroshi Tanahashi 8

⦁ EVIL 8

⦁ KENTA 8 (eliminated)

⦁ SANADA 6 (eliminated)

⦁ Zack Sabre Jr. 6 (eliminated)

⦁ Lance Archer 4 (eliminated)

⦁ Will Ospreay 4 (eliminated)

⦁ Bad Luck Fale 4 (eliminated)

B BLOCK

⦁ Jon Moxley 10

⦁ Tomohiro Ishii 6

⦁ Juice Robinson 6

⦁ Toru Yano 6

⦁ Tetsuya Naito 6

⦁ Hirooki Goto 6

⦁ Jay White 6

⦁ Jeff Cobb 6

⦁ Taichi 4 (eliminated)

⦁ Shingo Takagi 4 (eliminated)

NJPW G1 Climax 29 night 8 results: Naito vs. Ishii, Moxley vs. Shingo

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The G1 continued this morning in Hiroshima with B Block action. 

Jon Moxley stands alone atop the block after another convincing win — this time over Shingo Takagi, while Tetsuya Naito climbed back into the hunt with a win over Tomohiro Ishii in a great main event. 

Here are full results and match recaps:

YUJIRO TAKAHASHI, BAD LUCK FALE & CHASE OWENS DEFEATED WILL OSPREAY, TOMOAKI HONMA & YUYA UEMURA

Yujiro pinned Uemura with Pimp Juice in a formulaic opener. 

Bullet Club worked over Honma, then turned it into a crowd brawl. Ospreay made a comeback, then tagged Uemura. Uemura ran wild, but Yujiro and Owens cut him off. 

After the bell, Fale sent Ospreay into the barricade ahead of their tournament match on Saturday. 

MINORU SUZUKI, LANCE ARCHER & ZACK SABRE JR. DEFEATED EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI

Suzuki-gun worked over EVIL. SANADA came back with a rana on Archer, but Archer cut him off. Suzuki got a tag, and SANADA hit him with a dragon screw. 

The match broke down, and BUSHI and Suzuki were left legal. Archer used the EBD claw on BUSHI and SANADA, then Suzuki hit BUSHI with a Gotch-style piledriver for the pin. 

HIROSHI TANAHASHI & SHOTA UMINO DEFEATED KOTA IBUSHI & REN NARITA

Tanahashi pinned Narita after a slingblade, but he also gave Narita a ton of offense. Narita hit an overhead belly-to-belly for a great near fall, and he also used a full crab for a long submission tease. 

The interaction between Tanahashi and Ibushi was limited, but Ibushi did land some kicks, while Tana hit a dragon screw. 

KAZUCHIKA OKADA, YOSHI-HASHI & TOA HENARE DEFEATED KENTA, CLARK CONNORS & KARL FREDERICKS

KENTA and Okada started off, and KENTA controlled the match. He hit Okada with kicks, then mocked him with a Rainmaker pose. 

Okada made his own comeback against Fredericks. Henare and YOSHI-HASHI exchanged quick tags and went to work on Fredericks. Okada tagged back in and sent KENTA from the apron to the floor with a shoulder tackle. 

KENTA sent Okada into the barricade, while Henare and Connors were left the legal men in the ring. Connors hit a nice dropkick, but Henare came back with a Samoan drop. 

Fredericks and Connors doubled up on YH, but YH made his own comeback, then used a Butterfly Lock on Connors for the submission. This was a good little tag match. 

B BLOCK MATCH: JUICE ROBINSON DEFEATED TORU YANO (4:28)

Yano asked for a handshake, but used it to roll Juice up for a near fall. Yano untied a corner pad, then sent Juice into the exposed buckle. 

They went outside, where Yano tried to tape Juice to the barricade. They did a countout tease, but Juice made it back in at 19. 

Yano got two more near falls off schoolboys and again sent Juice into the exposed buckle. Juice avoided two low blows, then hit Pulp Friction for the pin. 

This was a short, typical Yano G1 match. It was entertaining. 

B BLOCK MATCH: TAICHI DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO (12:11)

Goto went after Taichi before the bell, as he continues to show a more aggressive edge. 

They brawled outside, where Taichi posted Goto, then took over. Back inside, Taichi worked over Goto with kicks. Goto went for an ushigoroshi, but Taichi slipped out the back. 

They traded lariats, but Taichi continued to control the match with his kicks. Goto hit an ushigoroshi, but sold the damage to his legs from the kicks, and he could not follow up. 

They exchanged lariats, and Goto hit a spinning lariat for a near fall. They traded a series of short kicks. Goto hit an inverted GTR for a two count. He went for a second GTR, but Taichi blocked it. He teased Shouten Kai, but Taichi slipped out, then sent Goto into the referee, who took a bump. 

Taichi tried to use his mic stand as a weapon, but Goto blocked it. Goto went for a GTR as the ref revived. Taichi pulled the referee into Goto for a distraction, hit a low blow, then used the Gedo Clutch for the pin. 

This was the weakest match of the tournament so far. 

B BLOCK MATCH: JON MOXLEY DEFEATED SHINGO TAKAGI (14:45)

They exchanged forearm shots right away. Moxley scored a knockdown off a tackle, and Shingo rolled outside. Moxley went for a suicide dive, but Shingo caught him, then hit a DVD on the floor. 

Moxley came back immediately, sending Shingo into the barricade, then posting him. Moxley set up a table. Both teased sending the other off the apron through the table, but both blocked. 

Moxley hooked Shingo’s leg in the ropes, then nailed it with a dropkick. Moxley used a figure four, but Shingo reached the ropes. Moxley tried for a Death Rider, but Shingo hit a backdrop. 

Shingo hit a pair of corner clotheslines, then hit a vertical suplex. Shingo continued to sell his legs. He went for a sliding lariat, but Moxley caught him, then hit a low dropkick to the legs. Moxley posted Shingo’s left leg repeatedly, then used a figure four around the post. 

Moxley hit a clothesline in the corner, and they exchanged German suplexes. They exchanged strikes, then Moxley hit a dragon screw. Moxley used a figure four to cradle Shingo for a near fall, then hit a sliding lariat. He teased a cloverleaf, but Shingo fought it off. 

Moxley tried to send Shingo from corner to corner, but Shingo’s leg buckled. Moxley went for the Regal knee, but Shingo hit him with noshigami, a lariat, then a Pumping Bomber for a near fall. 

Shingo fired up at the ten minute call. He went for Last of the Dragon, but his leg buckled. Moxley hit Death Rider, but only got a near fall off of it. 

Shingo blocked a second Death Rider, and they rolled outside. Moxley slammed Shingo’s left leg into the table, which didn’t break. Moxley wrapped a chair around the left leg, then hit it with another chair. They teased a countout, but Shingo made it back inside. 

As soon as Shingo stepped back inside, Moxley hit the Regal knee. He went for a Death Rider, but Shingo blocked it. Shingo then hit Made in Japan for a near fall. 

Shingo went for Last of the Dragon, but Moxley kicked at the bad knee. Moxley hit another Regal knee to the back for a near fall, then used a cloverleaf for the submission. 

This was good. Shingo did more selling than he has at any point since his NJPW debut, and Moxley did more wrestling than hardcore brawling. 

B BLOCK MATCH: JAY WHITE DEFEATED JEFF COBB (15:50)

White did his customary stalling early on. Cobb hit a dropkick, then a huge throw, and White rolled outside. Cobb teased posting White, but Gedo made the save for White. 

Cobb got Gedo in the ring, allowing White to hit a knee to the back. White took over, choking Cobb with the ring skirt, then hitting a neckbreaker off the apron to the floor. 

White continued working over the neck with a chinlock, then a neck tie. Cobb hit a Samoan drop. He tried to kip up, but White pulled him back to the mat by his hair. Cobb hit a belly-to-belly, then a pop-up backdrop. 

Cobb hit a gutwrench suplex, an uppercut, then a vertical suplex. Cobb hit a standing moonsault for a near fall. Cobb went for the Tour of the Islands, but White blocked it, then snapped Cobb’s neck over the top rope. White hit a DDT, then a flatliner. 

White hit another flatliner, then a Saito suplex. They traded strikes. White used an eye rake, but Cobb came back with a fallaway slam. Cobb hit an impressive sidewalk slam, then placed White on the top rope. Gedo provided a distraction, and White slipped to the apron. Cobb followed up with a deadlift superplex for a great near fall. 

White blocked a Tour of the Islands with elbow strikes. Cobb pushed White off into the referee, and we had our second ref bump of the night. Gedo jumped in with brass knuckles, but Cobb slammed him. White blocked another Tour of the Islands attempt, then hit a low blow. 

White hit a sleeper suplex. Cobb hit a snap German. Cobb went for Tour of the Islands, but White reversed it into a Blade Runner to get his first win of the tournament. 

The ref bump sucked the life out of the crowd and really hurt an otherwise good match. 

B BLOCK MATCH: TETSUYA NAITO DEFEATED TOMOHIRO ISHII (19:00)

Naito controlled the early-going with strikes. Ishii came back with a powerslam, then landed a series of chops. Ishii hit a headbutt. Naito hammered Ishii’s neck with elbows, then hit an inverted atomic drop. Naito hit a one-legged dropkick. 

Naito was really moving well here. He hit a flying headscissors, a dropkick to the back, then a combinacion in the corner. He teased a top rope rana, but Ishii cut him off. He teased a powerbomb out of the corner, but Naito slipped out. 

Naito hit a hard shot to the neck, but Ishii no-sold it. Naito spit at Ishii, who then dropped him with a forearm. Ishii hit a series of chops and strikes in the corner. Ishii hit a back suplex for a near fall. 

Ishii went for a powerbomb, but Naito countered out. Ishii missed a sliding lariat, and Naito hit an enzuigiri. Naito missed a dropkick, and Ishii hit a suplex. Naito hit a tornado DDT, into a double down. This was an awesome sequence. 

Naito hit a neckbreaker off the second rope, then a top rope rana for a near fall. Naito hit a flying forearm, then hit Gloria for a near fall. Naito went for Destino, but had to settle for a suplex after Ishii fought out. 

Naito hit a poison rana. He tried for Destino again, but Ishii fought it off with a lariat. Naito ducked another lariat, then hit an enzuigiri. Ishii placed Naito on the top rope, then hit an uppercut headbutt to the chin. Ishii followed up with a superplex for a two count at the 15-minute call. 

Naito blocked a lariat, but Ishii hit a headbutt. Ishii hit a hard lariat, and Naito took a flip bump. Ishii got a two count. Naito slipped out of a brainbuster. Naito hit Destino, but only got a two count. 

Naito went for another Destino. Ishii blocked it, but Naito hit a suplex. Ishii no-sold it, popped up, then hit a sliding lariat for a two count. 

Naito blocked a brainbuster, then hit a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. 

Naito then hit Destino for the pin. 

An awesome main event. 

G1 STANDINGS 

A BLOCK

  • KENTA 8
  • Kazuchika Okada 8
  • Lance Archer 4
  • EVIL 4
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi 4
  • Kota Ibushi 4
  • Will Ospreay 2
  • SANADA 2
  • Zack Sabre Jr. 2
  • Bad Luck Fale 2

B BLOCK

  • Jon Moxley 8
  • Juice Robinson 6
  • Tomohiro Ishii 4
  • Shingo Takagi 4
  • Toru Yano 4
  • Taichi 4
  • Tetsuya Naito 4
  • Jeff Cobb 2
  • Hirooki Goto 2
  • Jay White 2

NJPW G1 Climax 29 night three results: Tanahashi vs. KENTA

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The G1 continued today in Ota, and the A Block continues to produce some early upsets. 

Hiroshi Tanahashi, The Ace of New Japan, and Kota Ibushi, considered by many to be the A Block favorite, remain winless after Sunday’s action. Both will look to rebound on Thursday in Korakuen Hall. 

B Block continues tomorrow in Hokkaido, with Tetsuya Naito vs. Taichi, and Tomohiro Ishii vs. Jay White in the headline matches. 

Here are full results and match recaps from today’s show, as well as the current G1 standings.

**********

JUICE ROBINSON, TOA HENARE & YOTA TSUJI DEFEATED HIROOKI GOTO, TOMOAKI HONMA & YUYA UEMURA

Honma missed a kokeshi, which was an early momentum shifter. Juice and Goto had an intense faceoff ahead of their upcoming tournament bout. Both countered some signature spots, teasing them for the singles bout. 

Henare and Uemura exchanged strikes, but Henare put an end to that with a big headbutt to the chest. That led to a Toa Bottom, and Henare picked up the pin. A solid opener. 

JEFF COBB & REN NARITA DEFEATED JON MOXLEY & SHOTA UMINO

Narita started off hot, hitting a shotgun dropkick in the first move of the match. Cobb and Moxley got in, and Moxley flew around for Cobb. He twice slipped out of Tour of the Islands, while Cobb also avoided the Death Rider. 

Umino got a tag, and hit a missile dropkick for a nearfall. Cobb made his own comeback, hit Tour of the Islands, and pinned Umino. Cobb and Moxley had a staredown after the match. 

TOMOHIRO ISHII, TORU YANO & YOSHI-HASHI DEFEATED JAY WHITE, YUJIRO TAKAHASHI & CHASE OWENS

White teased starting off with Ishii, but he begged off. Yujiro and YH then tagged in. Yujiro used every heel trick in the books, including biting and hair pulls. YH tried for a dropkick off the roes, but Gedo grabbed his ankle, allowing Bullet Club to take over. 

A brawl around ringside saw White send Ishii over the barricade. Back inside, Bullet Club took turns working over YH. YH hit a heel kick, then managed a tag to Ishii. Ishii no-sold White’s offense. White tried to bail to the outside, but Yano tossed him back in.

White avoided a brainbuster, and floated over for a DDT. They teased hitting finishers, but the sequence ended with White hitting a Saito suplex into a double down. 

Owens and Yano tagged in. Yano untied a corner pad, but Owens grabbed it and used it as a weapon. Owens and Yujiro doubled up on Yano. Owens hit a running knee for a nearfall, but YH saved. 

The match broke down, and Ishii nailed White with a powerslam. Owens swung the corner pad, but Yano ducked. Yano hit a low blow, and hit a schoolboy on Owens to earn the victory. White and Ishii should have an excellent match tomorrow. 

MINORU SUZUKI, TAICHI & YOSHINOBU KANEMARU DEFEATED TETSUYA NAITO, SHINGO TAKAGI & BUSHI 

Suzuki-gun quickly turned this into a brawl. Kanemaru hit Naito with a leg slice over the barricade, and Suzuki-gun went to work on Naito in their corner. 

Taichi used a stretch plum on Naito, but BUSHI broke it up. Taichi took his trousers off. He went for a buzzsaw kick, but Naito cut him off with a neckbreaker. Kanemaru and Shingo tagged in and had an intense exchange. Kanemaru held his own, and blocked a pop-up DVD. 

Suzuki tagged in and scored some offense on Shingo. He used a PK and a guillotine, but Shingo powered out with a vertical suplex. BUSHI made the save for Shingo, and LIJ went three-on-one against Suzuki. 

While Shingo, Kanemaru, Taichi and Naito brawled to the floor, Suzuki slapped a rear naked choke on BUSHI. He transitioned to a Gotch-style piledriver, then covered for the pin. 

After the bell, Taichi choked Naito with a camera cable on the floor. Those two will face off tomorrow. 

A BLOCK MATCH: LANCE ARCHER DEFEATED BAD LUCK FALE (10:12)

They started off hot, as Archer hit Fale with a tackle, and they fell through the ropes to the floor. Archer sent Fale into the announce desk, and a monitor flew off the table. Jado used a kendo stick on Archer on the outside. Archer no-sold it, but the distraction gave Fale the chance to take over. 

Archer is billed at 6 feet, 8 inches, but found himself working as a babyface in peril by default here, which was a sight to behold. Fale sent Archer flying into several rows of chairs. Archer made it back inside, where Fale continued working over his back. 

Archer came back with a big strike, then tried his rope-walk spot. Jado nailed him with the kendo stick from the floor, and Archer ended up seated on the top rope. Fale hit a monstrous superplex for a nearfall. 

Fale teased his own rope-walk, but Archer cut him off. Archer teased a Blackout off the second rope, but Fale escaped. Fale hit a Grenade for a nearfall. 

Fale went for a Bad Luck Fall, but Archer fought it off. Archer fought off a Jado attack, then hit a pounce. Archer hit a chokeslam for a nearfall, then used the EBD Claw to pin Fale. 

This was the best Fale match in forever, and Archer is on a real roll. 

A BLOCK MATCH: WILL OSPREAY DEFEATED SANADA (17:06)

The opening sequence saw some mat wrestling, then both men kipped up into a pose. SANADA offered a handshake, then tried to catch Ospreay off-guard with a kick. Ospreay caught it, then teased applying a paradise lock. SANADA escaped and applied the hold himself, but Ospreay kipped up out of it. 

Ospreay hit a dropkick. SANADA came back with a paradise lock, applied over the bottom rope. SANADA broke the hold with a dropkick to the floor. Back inside, SANADA went after Ospreay’s legs with a dropkick, then used a chinlock and strikes to target the neck. 

Ospreay hit a backflip kick, a top rope 619, a standing double stomp, then landed a standing shooting star press for a nearfall. Ospreay hit a Sasuke Special to the floor, then hit Pip Pip Cheerio on the inside. 

SANADA hit a leapfrog dropkick, then followed with a pescado. SANADA hit a back suplex for a nearfall. Ospreay hit a hook kick, avoided a TKO, then landed another hook kick. SANADA caught Ospreay off a backflip, then hit the TKO. 

They traded strikes. Ospreay hit an enziguri, then teased a Spanish fly, but SANADA avoided it. Ospreay hit a Liger bomb for a nearfall, then used a shooting star press for another. Ospreay teased Storm Breaker, but SANADA blocked the first attempt. 

Ospreay tried for Storm Breaker again, but SANADA reversed it into Skull End. SANADA went for the moonsault press, but Ospreay avoided it. SANADA landed on his feet, enabling Ospreay to hit a standing Spanish fly for a nearfall. 

Ospreay hit the Robinson Special. SANADA blocked an Oscutter, and hit Skull End again. Ospreay slid out. SANADA tried for an Oscutter, but Ospreay avoided it. Ospreay hit an Oscutter, then followed with a Storm Breaker for the pin. 

This was great. If they had gone five more minutes, this could have been an epic on the level of the best Ospreay matches this year. 

A BLOCK MATCH: KAZUCHIKA OKADA DEFEATED ZACK SABRE JR. (12:00)

Sabre used a variety of holds to target Okada’s left arm. Okada did a great subtle sell of the arm after the opening volley. They traded neck holds, then high kick attempts. Okada hit a big boot. Sabre avoided a dropkick, then used a European clutch for an awesome early nearfall. 

Sabre used another quick cradle for a two count. Getting people to buy nearfalls this early was really something. Sabre used a banana split, but Okada rolled to the ropes. Okada hit a back elbow in the corner, then a DDT. 

Okada went to the top for an elbow, but Sabre avoided it, forcing Okada to change direction and land on his feet. Sabre blocked a DDT, then used a guillotine. Okada broke the hold with an air raid crash, then landed a top rope elbow. 

Okada hit his Rainmaker pose. Sabre kicked the arm away, but Okada countered with a tombstone. Okada tried again for the Rainmaker, but Sabre turned it into an octopus hold. Okada reached the ropes, forcing a break. 

Sabre was selling his neck after the tombstone. He stomped away at Okada’s Rainmaker arm. They traded standing strikes. Sabre went for a PK, but Okada caught it. Okada hit a pair of dropkicks. 

Okada went for the Rainmaker, but Sabre turned it into a European clutch for a nearfall. Sabre used another cradle for a nearfall. Sabre blocked a tombstone, then applied an octopus variation. Okada spun out, and hit a Rainmaker. He followed with a second Rainmaker for the pin. 

This was different than your typical long Okada match, but it was excellent. Okada worked a lot like Omega here in terms of how the match was laid out, and where and how he hit his signature offense. 

A BLOCK MATCH: EVIL DEFEATED KOTA IBUSHI (19:12)

They came out firing, exchanging a flurry of strikes. Ibushi hit a massive mid kick, but EVIL quickly grounded Ibushi. EVIL went to work on Ibushi’s bad ankle. He used a leg lock, then stomped on it. The pace slowed, as EVIL continued working over the ankle. 

Ibushi came back with mid kicks, then hit a standing moonsault for a two count. EVIL fought off a straightjacket German attempt, and landed a senton for a nearfall. Ibushi blocked Darkness Falls, hit a powerslam, then landed a moonsault for a two count. 

Ibushi went to the top rope, but EVIL crotched him. EVIL hit a superplex, then used a lariat for a nearfall. EVIL flipped out of a German, then hit his own German. Ibushi no-sold it. They hit simultaneous clotheslines, and both collapsed to the mat. 

They exchanged forearm blows. EVIL went for a Scorpion, but Ibushi rolled to the ropes. Ibushi hit a mid kick. EVIL sent Ibushi into the referee, who took a bump. EVIL hit a mid kick, but Ibushi came back with a high kick for a nearfall. The ref bump didn’t really play into anything. 

Ibushi tried for a Kamigoye, but EVIL caught his legs, and applied the Scorpion Deathlock. Ibushi dragged himself to the ropes, forcing a break. EVIL missed a senton off the top rope, enabling Ibushi to hit a Bomaye to the back of the head. Ibushi hit a second Bomaye to the face, but only got a nearfall. 

EVIL blocked a Kamigoye. Ibushi blocked Everything is EVIL. EVIL hit a lariat, and Ibushi took a flip bump. EVIL hit Darkness Falls for a nearfall, then hit Everything is EVIL for the pin. 

They struggled to get the crowd into the match early, but this built well.

A BLOCK MATCH: KENTA DEFEATED HIROSHI TANAHASHI (18:36)

They locked up. KENTA backed Tana into the ropes, then slapped him on the break. Tanahashi returned the favor on the ensuing break. Tana hit a series of strikes, then a senton. Tana played air guitar, but KENTA ended the taunt with a kick to the back of the head. 

Tana pulled KENTA to the floor, then whipped him into the barricade. KENTA sent Tana into the barricade, then kicked him over the fence. KENTA hit a DDT on the floor, then sent Tana into the post. 

KENTA drove his knee into Tana’s neck, then stomped on his head. KENTA used a knee lift for a two count, then used a headscissors on the mat. Tana came back with strikes, but KENTA cut him off with another knee lift. KENTA then used a PK for a nearfall. 

Tana caught an attempted yakuza kick, and hit the first dragon screw of the match. Tana hit a flying forearm, then a somersault senton for a two count. KENTA hit a pair of big boots, then a mid kick. He blocked a slingblade attempt, then hit a powerslam. 

KENTA hit a springboard dropkick, a yakuza kick, then a delayed dropkick in the corner. He hit a double stomp off the top, but only got a two count. Tana slipped out of a GTS, then hit a dragon screw. He followed with an inverted dragon screw on the mat. 

Tana used a cloverleaf. After a struggle, KENTA turned the hold into a small package for a close nearfall. KENTA used a draping DDT, then hit a running knee in the ropes. Tana caught him coming in on another running knee attempt, and hit slingblade. 

They exchanged strikes. KENTA blocked an open hand slap, then hit a discus lariat. Tana countered a GTS attempt into three Twist and Shouts. Tana hit a second slingblade for a nearfall. 

Tana hit a High Fly Flow to a standing KENTA. He went for a second, but KENTA got his knees up. Tanahashi did an awesome sell on the landing. 

KENTA got a sleeper hold applied. He tried for a PK, but Tana caught the leg. KENTA blocked a dragon screw, then hit the PK. KENTA hit the GTS — and got the pin. A very good main event. 

KENTA offered a handshake after the match, but Tanahashi refused it. 

KENTA cut a promo to close the show. He said he came to NJPW to win the G1. He told the fans to remember his face, and remember his name, KENTA. 

G1 STANDINGS

A BLOCK

  • Kazuchika Okada 4
  • KENTA 4
  • Lance Archer 4
  • SANADA 2
  • Bad Luck Fale 2
  • EVIL 2
  • Will Ospreay 2
  • Kota Ibushi 0
  • Zack Sabre Jr. 0
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi 0

B BLOCK

  • Hirooki Goto 2
  • Tomohiro Ishii 2
  • Toru Yano 2
  • Jon Moxley 2
  • Juice Robinson 2
  • Shingo Takagi 0
  • Taichi 0
  • Tetsuya Naito 0
  • Jeff Cobb 0
  • Jay White 0

NJPW G1 Climax 27 finals live results: Tetsuya Naito vs. Kenny Omega

Posted on by Bryan Rose

After 18 shows and a plethora of great, memorable matches, it all comes down to tonight’s G1 Climax 27 finals in Sumo Hall.

Tetsuya Naito and Kenny Omega have won their respective blocks and will square off in the main event to determine this year’s tournament winner. With Omega securing a win in their match at last year’s G1, Naito is looking to gain a measure of revenge by not allowing Omega a second consecutive run as the G1 Climax winner.

The winner of Naito vs. Omega will earn a briefcase to challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at next year’s Tokyo Dome show.

A couple of title matches will also take place in the undercard. War Machine will face off against the Bullet Club contingent of Cody & Hangman Page for the IWGP Tag Team Championship, and The Young Bucks will defend their Junior Heavyweight tag titles against Ryusuke Taguchi & Ricochet.

Join us for live coverage at 2 a.m. ET. There will be English commentary with Kevin Kelly, Don Callis, and Rocky Romero calling the action.

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Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Desperado, Taichi and Taka Michinoku defeated Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, KUSHIDA and Hirai Kawato

This was a fun opener. Kawato came in and looked great, it’s very obvious that he’s the best out of the current crop of young lions. Tiger Mask and Taka battled it near the English announcers as Kanemaru and Taichi took care of Kawato. Taichi powerbombed him then Kanemaru followed with the deep impact DDT for the win.

Desperado and KUSHIDA brawled after the match. Desperado tried to take the IWGP Jr. title to the back, but KUSHIDA jumped him and they brawled inside the crowd. Taka included himself in the brawl as they eventually made their way outside the arena. Their match is likely to take place at one of the three (yes) Destruction shows next month. 

Guerillas of Destiny defeated Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata

This was okay, nothing special. Heels beat on Nagata until he unleashed a big belly to belly suplex on Tonga. Nakanishi came in and did some big power spots. Both members of GoD focused on Nakanishi. Roa hit the sitout piledriver and scored the win for his team. Both members of GoD showed respect to Nagata after the match.

Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI defeated Togi Makabe and David Finlay

A good back and forth match. Makabe and Goto worked against one another. Everyone looked good, not that much to talk about honestly. YOSHI-HASHI got the win with karma, pinning Finlay.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Juice Robinson and Satoshi Kojima defeated Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens

Also a pretty good back and forth bout. If there’s one person that became a star thanks to this tournament, it’s Juice Robinson. Kojima took out Fale with a lariat to the floor. Robinson came in for a hot tag. Robinson laid out Owens with a punch then pinned him with the pulp friction.

Ryusuke Taguchi and Ricochet defeated The Young Bucks to win the IWGP Jr. tag team titles 

This was a great match. Ricochet and Taguchi worked really well together. Everyone held their own and looked tremendous, including Taguchi who did a great comeback. Excellent selling and drama as well.

Ricochet and Taguchi started off hot. Ricochet hit a fosbury flop off to the floor and tweaked his knee. Nick sensed it and clipped his knee; Matt soon followed. Ricochet went to do a Benadryller on the outside to even things up, but struck his knee on the ring post instead.

Back in the ring, Ricochet tried for a Benadryller again but got caught by a Nick Jackson superkick. After evading a sharpshooter, Ricochet managed to tag in Taguchi who cleaned house in a great comeback. 

Taguchi tagged in Ricochet. Matt didn’t see this was he and Nick were going for the Meltzer driver. Nick caught him and laid him out as Matt went for the sharpshooter. Ricochet fought valiantly, but a swanton bomb by Nick puts him in peril. Somehow, Taguchi powers out of a sharpshooter by Nick, allowing Ricochet to escape.

Damage done, the Bucks went for the more bang for your buck. Ricochet got the knees up and tried to make a comeback, but got caught off by a superkick. They went for the Indytaker but Taguchi cut them off with a hip toss on Nick. He hit Matt with the dodon as Taguchi put Nick in the ankle lock. Ricochet struggled to make it to the top, but eventually did and hit a big shooting star press for the win and the titles.

WrestleKingdom 12 was announced for 1/4 at the Toyko Dome.

Katsuyori Shibata came out right before intermission to a huge ovation. He came to the ring and, in typical Shibata fashion, put it bluntly: “I am alive. That is all.” . This was simple, but so emotional and powerful at the same time. Women in the audience were crying. Awesome moment.

The show returned from intermission with a vignette of someone brandishing a knife. There were pieces of paper strewn about with text blacked out. It only lasted a few seconds, but I guess that’s a tease for someone.

War Machine defeated Cody and Hangman Page to retain the IWGP tag team titles

This also was a very good match. The crowd was quiet for a lot of it, but the action was good and War Machine worked their butts off as always. Page and Cody had good chemistry as a team, too.

Rowe and Hanson dominated Bullet Club early. They were cut off as Cody and Page worked on Hanson. Cody and Hanson did cartwheels and followed with double clotheslines on one another. 

Rowe came in and started to clear house on Cody and Page. Everyone got in the ring and beat up one another. Cody hit Rowe with crossroads. Hanson took out both with a handspring elbow. Hanson threw Cody into the English announce team as War Machine took out Page.

Cody was taken to the outside by Hanson but Page came in for the save with the shooting star shoulder tackle. Cody flung the barricade into Hanson as Bullet Club came to the ring. They hit a disaster kick/slingshot clothesline combo. Page went for what looked like a moonsault on Rowe, but instead took out Hanson on the outside. Cody hit the moonsault on Rowe, but he managed to kick out.

Cody and Page went for a double suplex but Hanson back back and helped him clear house again. Hanson hits a moonsault of his own, but Cody put Page’s foot on the ropes. Rowe and Cody fight to the outside, where Rowe wipes out Cody with a tope, then Hanson followed with a somersault. War Machine get back into the ring and hit Fallout on Page to retain the titles.

Tama Tonga and Tanga Roa came in. Tonga grabbed a mic and says those belts look nice, but they belong to GoD. They want a rematch. Rowe was about to respond, but all of a sudden the Killer Elite Squad, Lance Archer and Davey Boy Smith Jr., make their return and lay waste to everyone.

Archer says that KES is back.GoD, War Machine, either way everyone dies.

Zack Sabre Jr., Minoru Suzuki and Takashi Iizuka defeated Kota Ibushi, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Michael Elgin

Heels dominated early on. Iizuka choked Ibushi with a camera wire, and Taichi even got involved again and choked out Tanahashi. Elgin came into the match as Iizuka distracted the ref with a chair. Kanemaru and Taichi came up, but were laid out by Elgin. Tanahashi came in for a comeback, but Sabre captured him in a armbar, leading the rest of his team to come in and break it up.

Suzuki-gun came back into the match and dominated. Sabre fought against Tanahashi as he latched on the octopus hold, focusing on Tanahashi’s injured arm.  He takes off the elbow cover and continues to hold on until Tanahashi finally submits. Good, solid match.

Suzuki and Elgin brawled for a long after the match, threatening each other with chairs. Meanwhile, Sabre held the Intercontinental title over Tanahashi’s fallen body. Pretty clear those are the next two title programs. 

SANADA, BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi and EVIL defeated Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Gedo and Toru Yano

SANADA put Yano in the paradise lock and tagged in EVIL, who held him in the spot. Okada tried to help, but EVIL took him out and threw him into the barricade. SANADA finally laid out Yano with a dropkick to break the lock.

It eventually turned out to be a pretty good match. Gedo came in and had Takahashi in the Gedo clutch but the rest of LIJ broke it up. Takahashi instead caught him in a triangle and submitted him for the win.

EVIL stacked chairs in the ring and grabbed Okada, laying him out with the Darkness Falls on top of the chairs. That’s your next IWGP title program.

Tetsuya Naito defeated Kenny Omega to win the G1 Climax 27 tournament

So, this was another absolutely incredible match in a sea of absolutely incredible matches. There were so many moments where someone landed on their neck that I am pretty sure both are going to be feeling the affects of this match for a long time to come. Simply awe inspiring athleticism here and somehow even better than their match from last year. I don’t know if it’s as good as the Omega/Okada trilogy, but this is certainly up there.

Naito hit a big tope that sent Omega careening over the barricade and on the announce table. Naito took Omega and hit a piledriver not on the table, which was supposed to be the intended target, but on the floor in a scary spot.

Naito focused on the neck, going to the second rope and dropping Omega from the top with a neckbreaker. Omega countered with a reverse rana then laid out Naito with a big tope con hilo to the floor. Omega hit a missile dropkick right in the back of Naito’s head.

Omega hit a German suplex and a knee neckbreaker and next went for the v-trigger. Naito dodged, but a German suplex attempt has Omega on his feet. Naito instead hit the satellite DDT. Naito looked to hit a hurricanrana off the top rope but Omega slid under, smashed him face first on the turnbuckle and hit the v-trigger.

Naito fired back with a DDT, then continued to work on Omega’s neck. Naito took what is normally Gloria but instead dumped him right on his neck. Naito went for Destino but Omega held on and dropped Naito right on the back of the neck for another nearfall.

Naito took Omega to the top rope, but Omega slipped off and instead Naito’s head crashed into the turnbuckle. Omega went for a powerbomb but in mid air Naito reversed it, then took Omega back up and hit a scary looking reverse rana off the top rope, landing right on his head. Naito went for the stardust press, but Omega escaped, sending Naito crashing to the mat.

Omega hit a double underhook piledriver and landed a v-trigger right in Naito’s jaw, then another. He went for a third, but Naito fell to the floor. Omega went for it again, but Naito grabbed him. Omega managed to hit it anyway then landed a gutwrench powerbomb. Naito hit another and went for the One Winged Angel but Naito countered with a reverse rana.

Naito hit Destino, but OMega kicked out. He went for another, but Omega countered with the Croyt’s wrath and another v-trigger, and again another. Omega went for the One Winged Angel, but Naito countered with the Destino. 

The two battled one another. Omega hit the v-trigger, but Naito blasted him with a koppo kick. Naito went for Destino. Omega dodged it, but didn’t a second time. A third Destino seals the deal for Naito as he wins the 27th G1 tournament.

Naito was given the trophy, and Masahiro Chono came in to hand him the G1 flag. Naito cut a promo after the match, thanking the fans and saying it was a win for them. He fist bumped everyone, including Daryl, who has miraculously come back to life, to end the show.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Top to bottom, this was a very good show, highlighted by the awesome main event and the great tag team title matches. This show wasn’t just good in terms of match quality, but it was great in setting up the rest of the year — everyone has a title program going into Destruction and it’s clear what New Japan is planning leading to WrestleKingdom 12. 

Top that off with the return of Shibata and this was one emotional, amazing card that’ll take a few days (at least for me) to process at just how good it was. To reiterate a point I made on Twitter, New Japan isn’t perfect, and has its fair share of problems. But in terms of delivering a consistently great product, they’re one of the best promotions in the world, and tonight was a clear example.

NJPW G1 Climax 27 B Block finals live results: Okada vs. Omega III

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The third encounter in perhaps the biggest rivalry of the year is set to take place at Sumo Hall this morning as Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega face off in the B Block finals of the G1 Climax.

They are the only two left in contention at this point. Okada has the edge heading into the match as following his draw with Minoru Suzuki, he has 13 points to Omega’s 12. Okada can advance with a draw, but Omega needs to pin Okada in order to make it to the finals.

Other B Block matches tonight include Michael Elgin taking on Juice Robinson, Tama Tonga squaring off against SANADA, Minoru Suzuki trying to outwit Toru Yano, and Satoshi Kojima facing EVIL.

Join us this morning at 5:30 a.m. ET for live results. The show will have English commentary available with Kevin Kelly, Don Callis, and Rocky Romero calling the action.

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El Desperado, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Taichi defeated Jushin Thunder Liger, KUSHIDA and Hirai Kawato

Liger got a hot tag early and looked great, dominating and laying out all three members of Suzuki-gun. KUSHIDA and Desperado went at it as well, since they are having a title match somewhere down the line. They teased an encounter before the G1 shows, and Desperado has picked up a multitude of wins during these last 17 shows.

Kawato came in and had Desperado in the Boston crab but Taichi and Kanemaru came in to even the odds. Desperado followed through with the Angel’s wings for the win.

Desperado blasted KUSHIDA with the IWGP Jr. after the match. 

Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii and YOSHI-HASHI defeated Chase Owens, Tanga Roa and Yujiro Takahashi

This was a good back and forth tag team match. Owens came in and nearly had the package piledriver on Goto. He fought back, hit the ushigiroshi and followed with the GTR for the win.

Takashi Iizuka and Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Yuji Nagata and Togi Makabe

Heels took Nagata and Makabe to the outside. Iizuka blasted Makabe with a chair. Mostly just an okay match. Iizuka is just as good as you remember him being; what that entails is up to you to decide. He used the iron fingers to blast Nagata, then Sabre followed with a penalty kick for the win.

Cody, Young Bucks, Hangman Page and Bad Luck Fale defeated War Machine, Ricochet, Ryusuke Taguchi and Katsuya Kitamura

There was a fun spot early where Rowe took out half the Bullet Club with back breakers and gut busters. Fale came in for the save, and what do you know, Rowe can’t do what he just did to the other members of the Bullet Club.

Young Bucks, Page and Cody all went for the moonsault but Taguchi Japan cut them off. They piled up Bullet Club and had Hanson go on top but Fale came in for the save. Everyone came in for spots, eventually leaving most of Bullet Club out of the ring.

Ricochet came flying first with a twisting Sasuke special. Hanson followed with a somersault to the outside. Kitamura hit the ropes, but Page came in with a clothesline, then followed with the rite of passage (Omori driver) for the win.

Juice Robinson defeated Michael Elgin

This was a really good match. Nothing fancy or anything, but there were a few really great spots and the finish was nice. If there is one person in this tournament who should have higher stock following the G1, it’s Juice.

Elgin wiped out Robinson on the outside with a big somersault to the floor. Robinson made a pretty good comeback. He laid out Elgin with a DDT but ate an enziguri as he hopped off the top rope. Robinson caught Elgin with a full nelson slam for a two count.

Robinson captured Elgin as he was going to the top rope and landed a powerbomb. He motioned for the pulp friction, but Elgin escaped…only to be caught with a gutbuster. Robinson went for a somersault into the corner, but Elgin grabbed him and gave him the buckle bomb. Robison quickly came back with a flash cover, but Elgin kicked out.

Elgin went for a burning hammer, but Robinson escaped and hit a big punch. Elgin reversed the pulp friction, but Robinson met him with another punch and finally got the pulp friction for the win.

Robinson wanted to shake hands after the match. Elgin obliged, then left as Robinson celebrated.

Tama Tonga defeated SANADA

This was fine, not much to talk about. Just a nice back and forth match. SANADA and Tonga showed great agility towards one another early. SANADA got the advantage and put Tonga in the paradise lock, leading to Tanga Roa and Yujiro Takahashi to come in for some help. Roa made himself helpful by taking out SANADA on the outside with a lariat.

Back in the ring, Tonga hit a gun stun and also hit a twist and shout neckbreaker. SANADA escaped one gun stun attempt, but then walked right into another for the win.

Toru Yano defeated Minoru Suzuki

Suzuki jumped Yano immediately at the bell and took him to the floor. Taichi, who was seconding Suzuki, jumped into the fray. He took him back to the ring. Yano managed to undo a turnbuckle, but Suzuki mostly dominated.

Yano gave Suzuki an atomic drop on the outside and tried to tape Suzuki’s legs, but it doesn’t work. Instead, Suzuki ties up HIS legs. He puts Yano in the sleeper. He started to argue with the referee as Taichi came in with a chair. Rocky Romero, who was on commentary, came in to make the save. Suzuki took him out as Yano came with some tape. Suzuki fought back, but did eventually get wrapped up in tape, got low blowed, and was pinned with a roll up.

Suzuki was incensed about the loss, attacking every young lion he saw after the match with a chair and fumed to the back.

EVIL defeated Satoshi Kojima

Kojima gave EVIL a bunch of chops in the corner and hit the elbow. He went for a roaring elbow, but EVIL fought back. Kojima blocked EVIL’s attacks and hit a koji cutter, then laid him out with a giant DDT on the apron.

EVIL managed to catch Kojima in a waistlock and landed a German suplex, then followed with the darkness falls. EVIL did a throat slash, motioning for the STO but Kojima fought out of it. He kept no selling EVIL’s lariats until he busted out one of his own, taking out EVIL.

Kojima followed with a brainbuster. He went for one more lariat and countered EVIL’s attempt at an STO. EVIL, however, headbutted Kojima and followed through with the STO, securing the win in a very nice back and forth match.

Kenny Omega defeated Kazuchika Okada

Yes, I can confirm that this was better than their other two matches — well, at least in my own opinion. While those matches were amazing in their own right, I honestly can’t think of how you can have a better 20-25 minute match like this one. Once again, both Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada have demonstrated what a big time pro wrestling is in 2017, and it’s pretty damn amazing.

This felt like a hot match from the very start, ditching the slow pace of usual big NJPW main events and never cooled down. Just hot, frenetic action from the start. Add in the drama with Okada’s neck (the doctor spot was so well done), along with an array of incredible moves, both guys pulling out all the stops with a hot crowd and, well, I can’t think of a better match you’ll see all year. Well, except the G1 Finals are tomorrow, and you know how that goes…

They start off with guns blazing as Omega immediately went for a V-trigger. A very exciting minute of action ensues as Okada gets Omega on the top rope and dropkicks him to the floor. Omega throws him into the barricade, then lands a big boot that sends him to the floor. Omega hits a giant running crossbody, sending them crashing onto a row of chairs.

Okada hits the elbow and the rainmaker pose. Omega immediately took him to the floor and hit a big crossbody to the outside. Okada smashes his neck against the guardrail. Omega took Okada back to the ring and made a point to score a missile dropkick right in the back of Okada’s neck.

Omega continued to work on the neck, looking for a piledriver but Okada countered with a back body drop. Omega fired back with a rolling senton. Okada got the knees up with a moonsault attempt, but Omega countered with a hurricanrana and a dropkick to the neck., but Okada came back to the ring and hit a flapjack.

Omega tried for a springboard, but Okada dropkicked him, sending him to the floor. Omega countered with a reverse rana to the floor. A doctor and some other officials checked in on him. Omega would have none of it continued the attack, hitting a dragon suplex on the apron and lifted him up with a knee neckbreaker…but Okada kicked out.

At the fifteen minute mark, Omega continued the assault, hitting Okada with a v-trigger square to the face. Okada started to get angry, grabbed Omega’s knee and started to fight back, hitting a tombstone. Omega took him to the top rope and went for a fisherman’s buster but Okada sent him back to the floor, then delivered a big dropkick to the back of Omega’s head.

Omega hit a v-trigger again as they did more back and forth, but Okada fought back with a German suplex. Omega hit a big time uranage, but Okada was able to fight back with a rainmaker, only for Omega to kick out at two. 

Omega hit a backslide, but Okada hit another rainmaker and held on to the wrist. Okada hit another, then went for one more but Omega ducked and hit a German suplex, then another. Okada fired back with elbows, but Omega neutralized him with a reverse rana. Omega went for the One Winged Angel, but Okada tried to escape, so he transitioned it into the Croyt’s wrath.

Okada came back with one more dropkick and went for the rainmaker but Omega countered, grabbed the wrist and landed a v-trigger. He finally hit the One Winged Angel and pinned Okada to not only beat Okada for the first time, but also to win the B Block.

Omega cut a promo in Japanese before going into his match with Tetsuya Naito tomorrow. Naito, as well as Los Ingobernables de Japon,  is so good and so popular. The problem is, however, everyone here is wearing Bullet Club, Kenny Omega and Elite shirts. He will win and become the first ever two time gaijin winner of the G1 Climax.

Current standings —

A Block:

Tetsuya Naito — 14 (WINNER)
Hiroshi Tanahashi — 12
Bad Luck Fale — 12
Kota Ibushi — 10
Zack Sabre Jr. — 10
Hirooki Goto — 10
Tomohiro Ishii — 8
Togi Makabe — 8
YOSHI-HASHI — 4
Yuji Nagata — 2

B Block:

Kenny Omega — 14 (WINNER)
Kazuchika Okada — 13
EVIL — 12
Minoru Suzuki — 9
SANADA — 8
Michael Elgin — 8
Toru Yano — 8
Tama Tonga — 8
Juice Robinson — 8

Satoshi Kojima — 2

NJPW G1 Climax 27 A Block finals live results: Naito vs. Tanahashi

Posted on by Bryan Rose

We are nearing the light at the end of the tunnel as the finals of the A Block will take place this morning as the G1 comes to Sumo Hall for three straight nights.

Only two people are alive in the block, and coincidentally both are in the main event as Hiroshi Tanahashi will battle Tetsuya Naito. In their last meeting earlier this year, Tanahashi beat Naito to win the IWGP Intercontinental title. Will Naito get his revenge, or will the self-professed ace of New Japan Pro Wrestling claim another victory?

Though Tanahashi vs. Naito will determine the winner, other A Block matches will also take place. The final matches in the block include Kota Ibushi taking on Hirooki Goto, Bad Luck Fale facing Yuji Nagata, Togi Makabe squaring off against YOSHI-HASHI, and Tomohiro Ishii vs. Zack Sabre Jr. in a rematch from last month’s great bout in Long Beach.

Join us for live coverage this morning at 5:30 a.m. ET. The show will feature English commentary by Kevin Kelly, Don Callis and Rocky Romero.

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Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado and Taichi defeated Katsuya Kitamura, Hirai Kawato and Tomoyuki Oka

This was fine. One thing I noticed is that even though Kitamura is still a young lion, he’s given more spots to look good. Suzuki nailed Kitamura with hard slaps, but countered with a suplex. Kawato came in and looked pretty good, but eventually was taken out by Desperado and was pinned with the angel’s wings.

Guerillas of Destiny defeated BUSHI and SANADA

A pretty decent tag team match. SANADA came off as such a superior athlete. GoD hit the Guerilla Warfare but SANADA broke it up. Tonga quickly finished things back in the ring as SANADA was taken to the outside as he quickly pinned BUSHI with the gun stun.

Satoshi Kojima and Juice Robinson defeated EVIL and Hiromu Takahashi

Another good tag team bout. Robinson and Kojima worked well as a team, which played into the match. Robinson blasted him with a lariat and finished with the pulp friction for the win. EVIL and Kojima had a staredown after the match. 

War Machine, Michael Elgin, Ryusuke Taguchi and Ricochet defeated Young Bucks, Cody, Chase Owens and Hangman Page

This was a really fun match, full of fun dives and energy. Ricochet did a dive on the outside, wiping out all of Bullet Club. Elgin followed, then Hanson was going up top when the Bullet Club cut him off. Cody missed the moonsault, but missed. Same thing for Hangman Page, then the Young Bucks. After Chase Owens missed his attempt, Hanson went on top and landed one of his own.

Ricochet wiped out Bullet Club on the outside following the Sasuke special. Elgin finished off Owens, hitting the Elgin bomb for the win.

Kazuchika Okada and Toru Yano defeated Kenny Omega and Yujiro Takahashi

This really didn’t last long. The commentators put over that Okada may be injured going into the match against Omega tomorrow as his neck was all bandaged up. Omega and Okada battled on the outside as Yano did his usual business in the ring against Yujiro. He eventually finished the match the same way he’s done all tour: distract the ref, low blow, roll up pin.

A Block matches —

Bad Luck Fale defeated Yuji Nagata 

This was great. Since this was Nagata’s last G1 match ever, people were into the idea of him winning and were with him from the start. 

Fale dominated early, taking him out of the ring and choking him on the mat. They teased a countout spot, which had fans frenetic, but he made it to the ring in time. Nagata fights back, targeting a leg. He soon was able to follow with an exploder after initially being unable.

Fale clubs him with punches as he attempts to gain control again. He goes for the grenade, but Nagata grabs the arm and sinks in the armbar. Nagata transitions into an ankle lock, then follows that with the Nagata lock. 

Nagata hits a knee in the corner and hits the backdrop driver, but Fale kicks out. Fale soon countered with a spear. He went for the grenade, but Nagata escaped. Fale hit a clothesline and followed with the Bad Luck Fall for the win.

Bad Luck Fale held up the too sweet sign after the match in a show of respect. Nagata opted to throw his signature hand sign instead. Fale bowed in a show of respect as he left the ring. Nagata (as well as announcer Shinpei Nogami) was clearly emotional as a bunch of people held up Blue Justice posters. He made his exit, his music playing.

Togi Makabe defeated YOSHI-HASHI

This was pretty good. The work was good, plus the crowd were hot for everything which helped a lot.

Mostly some nice back and forth during the bulk of the match. Makabe looked to go for the knee drop but YH moved out of the way and followed up with the lariat. He went for the butterfly lock, but Makabe powered out.

Makabe made a comeback, fought YOSHI-HASHI on the top rope then hit the spider suplex. He followed up with the King Kong knee drop for the win.

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Tomohiro Ishii

(By Joseph Currier)

This was a rematch from the IWGP US title tournament in Long Beach, and it was near the same high standard of their first meeting.

Sabre tried to start with mat wrestling, but Ishii was able to counter him until they stood up. They went back to the mat, where they again reached a stalemate as ZSJ bridged up. He delivered an uppercut as Ishii invited him to try some more strikes. Ishii struck back and laid Sabre out after he obliged.

Ishii gained control with strikes, chopping Sabre against the ropes and into the turnbuckle. Sabre fired back by Pele kicking his arm and taking him down. He began to focus on the arm and wrist while applying pressure to it.

Ishii was eventually able to counter with a back suplex and gained control again until Sabre got a choke in the ropes and applied an armbar. Sabre worked on the wrist and bent it back, but Ishii was able to grab the ropes.

Sabre hit kicks to a kneeling Ishii, with Ishii again inviting him to strike as he made it back to his feet. Ishii hit him with a punch, but Sabre replied by grounding him with a dropkick to the legs. After getting back on offense, Ishii hit a brainbuster off the top rope for two.

Sabre went for a submission before Ishii threw him into the turnbuckle from a fireman’s carry position and hit a German suplex. Ishii got two off of a powerbomb, but it allowed Sabre to reverse into a triangle. Ishii tried to power up, eventually laying out ZSJ with a lariat. He went for another before ZSJ got a choke, transitioned into a slam, and hit a penalty kick for two.

As Ishii tried to kick out, ZSJ maintained the upper hand by putting his bad knee in a kneebar. Ishii got to the ropes, but Sabre kept focusing on the knee with stomps to the back of it. Ishii slammed his own head into the turnbuckle a few times as he tried to work through the pain. He dared Sabre to keep kicking him, and floored him with a chop when he did.

Ishii connected with punches and went for a dragon suplex, but ZSJ countered into a pin for a near fall. He put on an ankle lock while also wrapping his leg around Ishii’s bad knee. Ishii got an ankle lock of his own, hit Sabre with a headbutt to the chest, and followed with a lariat for a near fall.

Sabre countered Ishii into a head and arm submission when he went for the sliding D. Sabre kept Ishii from the ropes and switched to focusing on Ishii’s better leg while also delivering kicks to his back. He didn’t tap out, but the referee called for the bell as Ishii passed out.

Hirooki Goto defeated Kota Ibushi

Goto took out Ibushi early with a clothesline on the apron, sending him to the barricade. Ibushi soon fought back, landing some good offense and hitting the standing moonsault for a near fall. Ibushi hit a German suplex, but Goto fired right back with a clothesline.

Ibushi escaped Goto’s clutches from the top rope and hit a Pele kick. He goes to the top, but Ibushi is met with resistance. Goto fights back, sending him down to the floor, but counters by hitting a hurricanrana off the top rope.

Goto caught Ibushi, but him in the Samoan driver position and hit the ushigiroshi. Goto followed with a big penalty kick. Goto takes him up, but Ibushi counters with a roll up. Kamigoye attempt by Ibushi, but Goto maintains wrist control and hits a reverse GTR, then the real thing for the win. This was another really good, borderline great match.

The announcers speculated after the match where Kota Ibushi would go next. They did bring up the win against Hiroshi Tanahashi, making it at least plausible he could be contending for that title next.

Tetsuya Naito defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi

This was an excellent back and forth main event, expertly showcasing the great chemistry they have with one another. I’d have to go and rewatch their match from Dominion, but I think both matches were about on par with one another.

They took it to the ropes early, where Tanahashi hugged Naito, I guess in a psych out spot. Tanahashi slapped Naito, setting the tone of the match. Naito went to do his pose in the middle of the ring, but Tanahashi, who was on the outside, came back in and started to stomp on him.

Naito soon found an opening with Tanahashi’s hurt arm. Tanahashi fought back, leading to a series of great offense. Tanahashi misses the senton off the middle rope, but takes out Naito, sending him to the outside and allowing himself to hit the high fly flow to the floor, wiping out Naito. 

Naito grabbed Tanahashi’s arm and slingshot it, sending Tanahashi to the floor in pain. He followed with a dropkick, again on the center of the injured arm. He hits Gloria and went for the Destino next but instead Tanahashi countered with a German suplex. Naito went for a super hurricanrana off the top rope, but Tanahashi rolled through with a cradle and got a near fall. 

Tanahashi fought back against a dragon suplex attempt, sidestepped Naito and hit two slingblades. He hit one high fly flow, but missed a second one. Naito went for a satellite DDT, but Tanahashi grabbed Naito’s leg and sent him to the floor with a dragon screw. He wrapped Naito in the Texas Cloverleaf. Naito struggled to make it to the ropes, but eventually made it.

At the 25 minute mark, Naito hit the Destino, then went for a second but Tanahashi hit three twist and shout neckbreakers. Tanahashi hit the ropes for a sling blade, but Naito fired back with not one, but two Destinos to win the A Block.

Tetsuya Naito is the first person to advance to the G1 Climax 27 finals. He cut a shot promo, including the LIJ roll call, to end the show.

Current standings —

A Block:

Tetsuya Naito — 14 (WINNER)
Hiroshi Tanahashi — 12
Bad Luck Fale — 12
Kota Ibushi — 10
Zack Sabre Jr. — 10
Hirooki Goto — 10
Tomohiro Ishii — 8
Togi Makabe — 8
YOSHI-HASHI — 4
Yuji Nagata — 2

B Block:

Kazuchika Okada — 13
Kenny Omega — 12
EVIL — 10
Minoru Suzuki — 9
SANADA — 8
Michael Elgin — 8
Toru Yano — 6
Tama Tonga — 6
Juice Robinson — 6
Satoshi Kojima — 2

NJPW G1 Climax 27 night 16 results: Okada vs. Suzuki

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Kanagawa was home to the last G1 show before the Sumo Hall events this weekend. After everything that went on tonight, we now have a clearer picture of how the winner of the B Block will be decided.

Prelim matches —

– Chase Owens defeated Tomoyuki Oka with the package piledriver.

– Zack Sabre Jr. & El Desperado defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Shota Umino when Desperado submitted Umino with the stretch muffler.

– Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Yuji Nagata & Katsuya Kitamura when Takahashi pinned Kitamura with the Pimp Juice DDT.

– Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Kota Ibushi, Togi Makabe & Hirai Kawato when Ishii submitted Kawato with a Boston crab.

– Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & David Finlay defeated Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi when Taguchi submitted BUSHI with the ankle lock. Naito focused on Tanahashi’s bicep as well as a leg, which may be the story heading into their match at the A Block finals.

B Block matches —

Tama Tonga defeated Satoshi Kojima

Tonga attacked Kojima at the bell, putting on his entrance coat and laying a beating. There was standard back-and-forth stuff from there. Tonga gained control until Kojima started to make a comeback.

Kojima gave Tonga a lariat that sent him to the floor. Kojima continued to gain control until Tonga dodged two lariat attempts and hit the Gun Stun for the win. Not a bad match by any means, but it was just there. 

Juice Robinson defeated Toru Yano

This was a match mostly filled with comedy. There was one spot where Yano tied Robinson’s braids on the guardrail, causing him to nearly lose via countout until he rolled in just in the nick of time…and ran right into the exposed turnbuckle that Yano had just undone.

Yano did his usual grabbing the ref/low blow spot, but Robinson fired back with a big punch and laid him out with the Pulp Friction for the win.

Michael Elgin defeated EVIL

They had a pretty good match that turned great towards the last few minutes of it. The crowd was molten for every counter they did, which made it pretty damn exciting.

EVIL dominated early, jumping Elgin right at the bell and unleashing a torrent of offense. He went to do something off the top rope, but Elgin caught him and turned it into a falcon arrow. 

Elgin went to the top rope, stood on top, and hit a giant superplex. EVIL blocked a buckle bomb attempt, and from there they had a super hot back-and-forth exchange. Elgin hit a Razor’s Edge powerbomb. He followed that with a lariat and an Elgin bomb to pick up the win.

Kenny Omega defeated SANADA

This was good, but it felt like they were just starting to go somewhere when the match ended rather abruptly. Good, but not great.

There was a scary spot early where Omega tried to lay out SANADA with a moonsault DDT off the guardrail but landed on his head on impact. He seemed fine after, but it looked scary.

Omega was in control until SANADA took him out with a crossbody to the floor. Omega went for the One Winged Angel, but SANADA countered with a hurricanrana. Omega escaped from a Skull End attempt and fired back with a dragon suplex and a V-Trigger, but SANADA kicked out.

The two went at it, escaping each other’s moves. Omega escaped another Skull End attempt. SANADA went to counter by floating over Omega, but instead Omega grabbed him, transitioned into the One Winged Angel, and pinned him.

Kazuchika Okada and Minoru Suzuki went to a 30-minute time limit draw

This was an incredible match, in my opinion much better than the match they had back in February. An absolutely intense battle with Suzuki playing his role super well as the tough veteran exposing Okada’s weakness (his bandaged neck) and never relenting, causing the youthful warrior Okada to continue to fight back. Just a fantastic back-and-forth match.

Okada’s neck was all taped up. He took control early until, as the theme has been for the last year, Desperado and Taichi got involved. The young lions at ringside took them away, leaving it just between Suzuki and Okada, with the former ripping off the bandage on Okada’s neck and working on it instantly.

Suzuki went for a penalty kick, but Okada blocked it and started to trade punches. Suzuki went for the sleeper, but Okada countered with a suplex. Okada went for the Rainmaker until Suzuki countered with a guillotine choke. Okada tried to fire back with a tombstone, but Suzuki escaped and then nailed him with a dropkick.

Okada nailed a dropkick to the back of Suzuki’s head and hit a cradle tombstone piledriver. Suzuki dodged the Rainmaker, then escaped the tombstone and hit one of his own. Suzuki continued the assault, grinding down Okada and pelting him with kicks.

Suzuki followed up with an octopus hold. He tried for the Gotch piledriver, but Okada blocked it. Suzuki hit the ropes, but Okada fired back with a dropkick, then another one off the top rope.

He went for the Rainmaker, but Suzuki countered with a sleeper suplex and kept him down on the mat. Okada struggled to make it to the ropes, but Suzuki got him on his back. Eventually, Okada did escape, grabbing the ropes.

Suzuki unleashed his fury on Okada with a barrage of punches. He picked up a prone Okada, only to get blasted with a Rainmaker. He slowly got back up and landed a second. Okada went for a third, but Suzuki again blasted him with a ton of open hand slaps. Okada started to fire back with some of his own. 

Suzuki, putting his hands down, invited Okada to slap him some more. He stuffed Okada’s attempt at a tombstone and tried for the Gotch piledriver, but again Okada blocked him. Suzuki went for the sleeper again. Okada quickly countered with a Rainmaker and tried to make a cover, but couldn’t reach Suzuki in time as the time limit expired. 

As far as who’s alive, it’s relatively simple. Tied at twelve points each, whoever wins between Tanahashi and Naito on August 11th wins the A Block and makes it to the finals. 

It also boils down to Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada in the B Block on August 12th. With this morning’s draw, Omega needs the win, but Okada would advance with a win or a draw.

Current standings —

A Block:

Hiroshi Tanahashi — 12
Tetsuya Naito — 12
Bad Luck Fale — 10
Kota Ibushi — 10
Zack Sabre Jr. — 8
Tomohiro Ishii — 8
Hirooki Goto — 8
Togi Makabe — 6
YOSHI-HASHI — 4
Yuji Nagata — 2

B Block:

Kazuchika Okada — 13
Kenny Omega — 12
EVIL — 10
Minoru Suzuki — 9
SANADA — 8
Michael Elgin — 8
Toru Yano — 6
Tama Tonga — 6
Juice Robinson — 6
Satoshi Kojima — 2

NJPW G1 Climax 27 night 15 results: Tanahashi vs. Ishii

Posted on by Bryan Rose

We’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel as the conclusion of the G1 Climax is nearing. The final week of action kicked off in Shizuoka this morning, with A Block tournament matches taking place. Following yesterday’s upsets, will tonight be more of the same?

Prelim matches —

– Juice Robinson & David Finlay defeated Katsuya Kitamura & Tomoyuki Oka when Finlay pinned Oka following a stunner.

– EVIL & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Michael Elgin & Hirai Kawato when Takahashi submitted Kawato with the Boston crab.

– Tama Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan after Tonga laid out Tenzan with the Gun Stun.

– SANADA & BUSHI defeated Kenny Omega & Chase Owens when SANADA submitted Owens with the Skull End.

– Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & Gedo defeated Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & El Desperado when Yano ripped off Taichi’s pants and rolled him up.

A Block matches —

Yuji Nagata defeated Zack Sabre Jr.

Great match. They combined Nagata’s stiffness with Sabre’s great wrestling ability to have a nice back-and-forth encounter.

They started off with some mat wrestling. Desperado grabbed Nagata’s leg, but he remained undaunted as he took out Sabre with a big boot. Sabre transitioned and used his feet to strike Nagata’s wrist, taking it into his control and stomping it.

There was more mat wrestling as Nagata took down Sabre and applied a crossface. He picked up Sabre for an exploder, but Sabre transitioned it into a guillotine, then went back to working on Nagata’s wrist. Sabre got Nagata in a triangle choke, but Nagata popped out and transitioned into his trademark armbar.

They each took shots at their injured arms, striking each other with kicks. Nagata went for the back suplex until Sabre countered with the octopus stretch. Nagata escaped and hit a brainbuster. Sabre kicked out of one back suplex, but he didn’t kick out of a second, giving Yuji Nagata his first win of the tournament.

Kota Ibushi defeated YOSHI-HASHI

They had another great back-and-forth match. The last couple of minutes were awesome. Ibushi always knows when to turn it up and YOSHI-HASHI does as well.

Both wrestlers got some shine early, striking one another with some very good offense. YOSHI-HASHI countered a clothesline and hit Ibushi with the headhunter neckbreaker. Ibushi came back with a hurricanrana and took out YH with the golden triangle moonsault on the outside.

YOSHI-HASHI came back with the swanton bomb and sunk in the butterfly lock. Ibushi fought on, but YH wouldn’t let it go. Ibushi got out of it, grabbed YH’s wrists and went for the Kamigoye, but YH would headbutt back whenever Ibushi tried to strike. YOSHI-HASHI finally cut off Ibushi with his own press powerbomb.

Continuing to gain momentum, YOSHI-HASHI hit a running meteora and went for Karma, but Ibushi floated over and struck YOSHI-HASHI with a kick to the head. He hit the last ride, but YOSHI-HASHI kicked out. The Kamigoye, however, sealed the deal.

Bad Luck Fale defeated Hirooki Goto

Goto tried to whittle down Fale with kicks, but it didn’t work as Fale quickly dispatched him to the outside. Fale took one of Goto’s legs and slammed it against the ring post, giving him something to work with.

Fighting back, Goto gained momentum by clotheslining Fale. He tried lifting him up on his shoulders but couldn’t get it done. Goto tried for the GTR, but Fale raked him in the eyes. He went for a lariat, but Fale came back with one of his own.

Goto escaped a Bad Luck Fall attempt, but then walked right into a Grenade, giving Fale a win in a pretty good bout.

Tetsuya Naito defeated Togi Makabe

Makabe started off hot on Naito’s trail as he took him out of the ring and brawled with him into the crowd. Naito cut him off and took him back to the ring, where he started to build momentum.

Naito tried for the satellite DDT, but Makabe threw him off and hit the kneeling powerbomb. Makabe then took Naito to the top rope and smashed his head repeatedly into the turnbuckle in nasty fashion. Eventually, he did land the spider German suplex. He went to finish with the King Kong knee drop, but Naito rolled out of the way.

Naito countered back with a koppo kick and went for the Destino, but Makabe blocked it and hit a lariat. Naito hit what looked like a reverse Destino, then followed with another for the win in a great match.

Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Tomohiro Ishii

I don’t know if this was as good as their previous bouts, but this was still one hell of a main event. There was excellent, high-impact work between the two with some exciting reversal spots near the end.

They went back and forth on one another early, exchanging brutal chops. Tanahashi went after a leg. He took Ishii to the top rope and tried to launch him off, but he wouldn’t budge until Tanahashi took him out with a dragon screw.

Ishii started to build momentum with a dragon suplex, but Tanahashi countered right back with a slingblade. Tanahashi missed a High Fly Flow attempt, but countered Ishii’s sliding D attempt into a crucifix. Tanahashi continued his work on Ishii’s legs, unloading with a few dragon screws before sinking in a cloverleaf.

After repeatedly going after Ishii’s bum leg, Tanahashi’s fortune turned against him as Ishii gave one of his legs a stunner and started to work on it. Ishii went for a knee crusher until Tanahashi countered with a slingblade, only for Ishii to come right back with a lariat.

Ishii wrapped Tanahashi in a sharpshooter, but he quickly made it to the ropes. Ishii got a setback as Tanahashi gave him a dragon screw, but he met Tanahashi on the top rope and unleashed a big superplex. Ishii tried to follow with a brainbuster, but Tanahashi hit two twist and shout neckbreakers. Ishii tried for it again, but this time Tanahashi took him out with a dragon suplex.

They battled it out, with both kicking out at one as they exchanged moves. Tanahashi crawled to the corner and went for the High Fly Flow, and it connected. A second followed, and Tanahashi scored the win.

Tanahashi, looking exhausted and selling his leg, cut a short promo to close out the show. Only Tanahashi and Naito are in contention heading into their match at the A Block finals on August 11th.

Current Standings —

A Block:

Hiroshi Tanahashi — 12
Tetsuya Naito — 12
Bad Luck Fale — 10
Kota Ibushi — 10
Zack Sabre Jr. — 8
Tomohiro Ishii — 8
Hirooki Goto — 8
Togi Makabe — 6
YOSHI-HASHI — 4
Yuji Nagata — 2

B Block:

Kazuchika Okada — 12
Kenny Omega — 10
EVIL — 10
Minoru Suzuki — 8
SANADA — 8
Michael Elgin — 6
Toru Yano — 6
Tama Tonga — 4
Juice Robinson — 4
Satoshi Kojima — 2

NJPW G1 Climax 27 night 14 results: Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Interesting developments took place this morning in the B Block as the G1 rolled into Osaka. Kazuchika Okada faced EVIL in the main event, while Kenny Omega battled Juice Robinson in the co-main.

I won’t spoil the results in the opening paragraph, but it’s safe to say that after tonight the story of the B Block is that both Okada and Omega are having very similar G1 experiences thus far.

Prelim matches —

– Chase Owens defeated Katsuya Kitamura with the package piledriver.

– Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & El Desperado defeated Yuji Nagata, Shota Umino & Ren Narita when Desperado submitted Umino with the stretch muffler.

– Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Tomoyuki Oka when Takahashi pinned Oka with the Pimp Juice DDT.

– Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Togi Makabe, Hirai Kawato & Tiger Mask IV when BUSHI submitted Kawato with an elevated Boston crab.

– Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi & David Finlay when Goto pinned Finlay with the GTR.

B Block matches —

Toru Yano defeated Tama Tonga

This didn’t last long. Tonga grabbed the ring bell hammer and tried to use it on Yano as they both entered the ring. The ref tried to take it away from Tonga. In the confusion, Yano low blowed Tonga and pinned him in a surprise. Not particularly good at all.

Mr. August himself, Masahiro Chono, was on commentary for tonight’s matches.

Satoshi Kojima defeated SANADA

Fairly standard start to the match. Kojima gained the early momentum, but SANADA ended up low blowing him. Kojima retaliated but got cut off with a SANADA springboard dropkick.

SANADA took Kojima down with the Skull End as Tenzan willed his partner to make it to the ropes. After the ref let Kojima’s hand fall twice, SANADA went to the top rope for the moonsault, but Kojima dodged just in the nick of time.

SANADA went for another moonsault, but Kojima avoided it, got up, and managed to whack SANADA in the back of the head with a lariat. SANADA went for the Skull End, but Kojima maneuvered it into an inverted DDT, then laid out SANADA with two more lariats to pick up his first win of the tournament. This was pretty good and told a nice story.

Michael Elgin defeated Minoru Suzuki

I found this to be disappointing for a first-time match. I know Suzuki-gun’s gimmick is that they interfere a bunch, but they did too much of it in this match to the point it was overkill. The match was good, but not great.

Desperado and Taichi made themselves known early, continually interfering outside of the ring as Suzuki gained control, beating Elgin with a chair. He wrapped Elgin’s arm against a chair and slammed it on the ring post.

Elgin countered back with a couple of roaring elbows but was taken down with a Suzuki armbar. Desperado hit him with a chair as Suzuki sunk it in again, but Elgin managed to lift up Suzuki and released himself from the hold by throwing him to the floor.

Elgin hit the buckle bomb, but Suzuki fell on the ref, allowing Taichi and Desperado to interfere yet again. Elgin took them both down, then went to finish off Suzuki, but Suzuki instead latched on the sleeper. Elgin cut him off upon release, then hit the Elgin bomb for the big win. 

That probably gives Elgin a shot at the NEVER title later this fall.

Juice Robinson defeated Kenny Omega

They had a really good match. Robinson has been connecting well with the crowd and is excellent at selling, which played a big part in the match. The surprise win and the shock from the crowd was great.

Omega gave Robinson a suplex out of the ring, hurting his leg in the process. Omega quickly took note of the injury and began working on it, wrapping Robinson’s legs on the turnbuckle and sinking in a figure four leglock. Lifting the injured leg, Omega threw him into a nearby table, which proceeded to not break.

After more work on the leg, Robinson came back with a full nelson slam. He went for the Pulp Friction a couple of times, but Omega found ways to escape. He laid out Robinson with a V-Trigger, though Robinson came back with a hard shot to the face.

Robinson went for it again, but Omega countered with a reverse rana. Omega followed with a big V-Trigger and went for the One Winged Angel until Robinson countered with a small package and got the three count, scoring a big win.

If Omega ends up winning the whole thing, Robinson could be a challenger for the briefcase down the line.

EVIL defeated Kazuchika Okada

This was such a great match, and it was different than your usual Okada matches. EVIL has established himself as a brawler and he brought it to Okada, with a lot of cool spots and great false finishes. The surprise win, and how it was executed, was absolutely awesome. This isn’t the best match of the tournament, but it’s awfully close.

Okada mostly dominated the match until going for his rolling splash off the apron — EVIL pushed him off the ring instead and began attacking him on the outside, using the usual chair spot to gain the advantage.

Back in the ring, it was mostly a very good back-and-forth affair. Okada hit the elbow and went for the Rainmaker, but EVIL grabbed him by the hair and hit a superkick. They went to the outside, where Okada hit a big boot, sending EVIL out of the ring. He went to jump over the barricade but instead ate a chair right in the face thanks to EVIL.

EVIL set up a pile of chairs in the crowd and laid Okada out with the Darkness Falls on the chairs. He took him back in the ring and hit another Darkness Falls. He went for the STO, but Okada blocked it, so he took him to the top rope. Okada fought it off, then hit a really amazing looking missile dropkick to a kneeling EVIL.

They continued to battle back and forth until Okada nailed a dropkick right in the back of EVIL’s head, then followed with another. EVIL escaped a Rainmaker attempt. Okada kept on the assault until EVIL hit two lariats for a great near fall.

EVIL went for the STO, but Okada launched back with a Rainmaker, then followed with another. When he went for a third, EVIL blasted him with a headbutt and went for the STO once again, but Okada countered with a German suplex. He went for a fourth Rainmaker, but in mid-motion EVIL hooked Okada’s leg and landed the STO to pick up the shock win.

This more than likely sets up a title match between Okada and EVIL for later on in the year.

EVIL cut a promo after the match, saying “Welcome to the darkness world.”

Current Standings —

A Block:

Hiroshi Tanahashi — 10
Tetsuya Naito — 10
Zack Sabre Jr. — 8
Tomohiro Ishii — 8
Hirooki Goto — 8
Bad Luck Fale — 8
Kota Ibushi — 8
Togi Makabe — 6
YOSHI-HASHI — 4
Yuji Nagata — 0

B Block:

Kazuchika Okada — 12
Kenny Omega — 10
EVIL — 10
Minoru Suzuki — 8
SANADA — 8
Michael Elgin — 6
Toru Yano — 6
Tama Tonga — 4
Juice Robinson — 4
Satoshi Kojima — 2

NJPW G1 Climax 27 night 13 results: ZSJ vs. Tetsuya Naito

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Ehime was home to the thirteenth G1 Climax 27 show, featuring action from the A block. In the main event, Hiroshi Tanahashi took on Togi Makabe. Before that, Tetsuya Naito faced off against Zack Sabre Jr. in their first-ever singles battle in the semi-main event. 

Prelim matches —

– Tama Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Katsuya Kitamura & Tomoyuki Oka when Takahashi pinned Kitamura with the Pimp Juice DDT.

– Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & El Desperado defeated Michael Elgin, Tiger Mask IV & Hirai Kawato when Desperado pinned Kawato with the Angel’s Wings.

– Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated SANADA & BUSHI after Kojima hit BUSHI with a lariat.

– Juice Robinson & David Finlay defeated Kenny Omega & Chase Owens when Robinson pinned Owens with the Pulp Friction.

– Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano defeated EVIL & Hiromu Takahashi when Yano rolled up Takahashi for a flash pin.

A Block matches —

Kota Ibushi defeated Yuji Nagata

Nagata once again continued to prove he’s one of the best workers around at his age. This was great, with the crowd totally wanting to see Nagata pick up his first win in the tournament. Ibushi’s resilience to all the damage he absorbed during the match was something to behold as well.

They mat wrestled early, with Nagata honing in on one of Ibushi’s arms. Ibushi broke free and began to fight back, including landing the standing hurricanrana.

Nagata hit an exploder as he assaulted Ibushi on the ground. Nagata continued to build momentum, hitting a brainbuster and a back suplex, but he found Ibushi to be very resilient. He went for another, but Ibushi floated over a German suplex attempt and stuck a Pele kick. He tried to finish with a press powerbomb, but Nagata kicked out.

Ibushi followed with his new finisher, a double wrist knee strike called the Kamigoye, for the win.

Bad Luck Fale defeated Tomohiro Ishii

Fale dominated a lot of the match due to his sheer strength. Every time Ishii tried to mount a comeback, Fale would shut it down pretty quickly. Ishii finally got somewhere when he grabbed Fale and laid him out with a brainbuster.

Ishii hit the ropes twice — landing a big lariat — and went for the sliding D, but Fale grabbed him by the throat. Ishii took him down with an armbar, but Fale escaped. Ishii escaped the Bad Luck Fall and chopped him back down and went back to an armbar.

Fale came back to life with a spear, then hit Ishii with the Bad Luck Fall for the win in a very good match.

Hirooki Goto defeated YOSHI-HASHI

This was a back-and-forth match early, with neither really gaining any advantage until YOSHI-HASHI went for a jackknife cover, then went for a butterfly lock. He went for the sleeper, but Goto transitioned into one of his own.

YOSHI-HASHI avoided Goto’s GTR twice and leveled him with a superkick. He tried to go for Karma, but Goto laid him out and hit two GTRs for the win. This was good while it lasted.

Tetsuya Naito defeated Zack Sabre Jr.

Sabre took down Naito and focused on the neck area, using his feet to twist it around. Naito fought back, but Sabre continued to find ways to work on Naito’s body, latching onto a body part every time Naito tried to gain some momentum.

Naito finally was able to hit the satellite DDT, giving him some momentum. He hit a koppo kick and went for the Destino, but Sabre escaped and went for a few clever pinfall attempts, rolling up Naito in a number of ways. 

Naito escaped a penalty kick attempt, hit an enzuigiri and a shoulder breaker, then hit the Destino for the win. This was really good, telling a good story.

Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Togi Makabe

This was good, but there have been many good matches in this tournament. Unfortunately, this is going to be one of those matches that gets lost in the shuffle. 

Makabe took out Tanahashi early, clotheslining him on the outside. Tanahashi fought back, landing the senton, but Makabe responded by taking him to the corner and mounting him with punches.

He followed with the kneeling powerbomb and went for the King Kong knee drop, but Tanahashi avoided it. Tanahashi responded with the twist and shout neckbreaker as he soon went for the High Fly Flow, but he found no one there upon impact.

Makabe drilled Tanahashi with German suplexes and took him to the top rope for the Spider suplex. Tanahashi instead reversed it and landed a German suplex pin for a near fall. Tanahashi went for two High Fly Flows, got them both, and scored the win.

Tanahashi played air guitar to close out the show.

Current Standings —

A Block:

Hiroshi Tanahashi — 10
Tetsuya Naito — 10
Zack Sabre Jr. — 8
Tomohiro Ishii — 8
Hirooki Goto — 8
Bad Luck Fale — 8
Kota Ibushi — 8
Togi Makabe — 6
YOSHI-HASHI — 4
Yuji Nagata — 0

B Block:

Kazuchika Okada — 12
Kenny Omega — 10
EVIL — 8
Minoru Suzuki — 8
SANADA — 8
Tama Tonga — 4
Michael Elgin — 4
Toru Yano — 4
Juice Robinson — 2
Satoshi Kojima — 0

NJPW G1 Climax 27 night 12 results: Kenny Omega vs. EVIL

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Fukuoka was home to the twelfth night of the G1 Climax 27 this morning. B Block action continued as Kazuchika Okada took on Tama Tonga and Kenny Omega squared off against EVIL in the main event.

Prelim matches —

– Tomoyuki Oka & Shota Umino defeated Katsuya Kitamura & Ren Narita when Oka submitted Narita with a Boston crab.

– Kota Ibushi & Tiger Mask IV defeated Yuji Nagata & Hirai Kawato when Tiger Mask pinned Kawato after a butterfly suplex off the top rope.

– Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defeated Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens when YOSHI-HASHI submitted Owens with the butterfly lock.

– Zack Sabre Jr., Taichi & El Desperado defeated Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI when Taichi pinned BUSHI with the Gedo clutch.

– Hiroshi Tanahashi & Jushin Thunder Liger defeated Togi Makabe & David Finlay when Tanahashi hit Finlay with the High Fly Flow.

B Block matches —

SANADA defeated Juice Robinson

After a hot exchange at the start, SANADA clipped Robinson’s leg as he entered the ring, finding a body part to work on for the duration of the match. SANADA continued to work on the leg, applying a figure four on the floor. 

SANADA went for a magistral cradle until Robinson reversed it. Robinson landed a spinebuster and followed with a powerbomb. SANADA sprang back to life with a springboard dropkick, followed by a back suplex. Robinson escaped the Skull End and eventually ended up laying out SANADA with a lariat. 

SANADA had the Cold Skull applied, but Robinson escaped as the two traded finisher attempts. Finally, SANADA latched on the Skull End once again and then let go to hit a moonsault for the win. This was a good sprint of a match.

Toru Yano defeated Michael Elgin by DQ

This did not last long. After Elgin proved he was the better of the two, Yano did a ref spot and low blowed Elgin. Yano then fell to the floor and told the referee that Elgin low blowed him. The New Japan ref, for some inexplicable reason, believed him and disqualified Elgin, effectively putting him out of the tournament. This was dumb.

Minoru Suzuki defeated Satoshi Kojima

Suzuki wasted no time in jumping Kojima, taking him to the outside and throwing him across the barricades. When Desperado and Taka Michinoku came in, Tenzan took care of them, but the referee stopped things and sent Tenzan away as Suzuki dominated.

Kojima came back and unloaded chops on Suzuki’s chest. Suzuki started to go for the Gotch piledriver before Kojima fought back. Desperado and Michinoku came in to interfere, but Tenzan came back and dished out Mongolian chops. Kojima hit a brainbuster, though Suzuki kicked out.

Kojima missed a lariat, allowing Suzuki to wreck him with a flying kick. He followed with the sleeper, then the Gotch piledriver for the win in a nice match.

Kazuchika Okada defeated Tama Tonga

Tonga jumped Okada and posed with Okada’s ring entrance gear to cheers. Okada fought back, but Tonga immediately came back with the heat. When Tonga missed a splash, Okada followed with a neckbreaker. 

Okada eventually went for the Rainmaker, but Tonga fought back, running around the ropes, confusing Okada and ending things with a spear. Okada went for another, but Tonga countered with his waistlock DDT. Okada fought back and looked for a third, but Tonga countered everything Okada could muster, including his dropkick.

Okada avoided the Gun Stun but ate a kick to the face for his troubles. Tonga went for another Gun Stun, but Okada dropped him with a German suplex and then pinned him with the Rainmaker. The match was pretty good, though not great.

Kenny Omega defeated EVIL

This was easily the best match of the night by far. EVIL really stepped up his game and was just as good as Omega in this match. Cool table spots and fast-paced action made this a memorable bout.

EVIL took Omega out of the ring, removed the mats, and tried for a body slam, but Omega fought back and body slammed EVIL instead. EVIL tried to mount a comeback with a senton, but Omega got his knees up in response.

Omega put up a chair and tried to suplex EVIL onto it, but EVIL fought back and went for the chair to the throat spot. Omega countered it, then went to do a springboard off the barricade, but EVIL countered and laid him out with the chair to the throat.

When he regained control, Omega took out a table and sent EVIL through it. He took out another and looked to hit a double underhook piledriver on the apron before EVIL fought him off and instead hit a uranage, sending both of them crashing through the table.

With his eye busted open, EVIL hit a senton but Omega started to fight back. After some great back-and-forth offense, EVIL took him down with the Banshee Muzzle, but Omega made it to the ropes.

Omega fought back with a V-Trigger and the reverse rana. I think that legitimately knocked EVIL out as he struggled to continue the match. Omega eventually got him up for the One Winged Angel and landed it for the win.

Omega cut a promo after the match. He said he looked into the crowd and saw Los Ingobernables de Japon shirts, but he also saw Good Night and Good Luck t-shirts as well. He said G1 Climax 27 will be the first time a gaijin has won the tournament twice. He finished off by saying he has to go to sleep now, but goodbye and good night.

Current standings — 

A Block:

Hiroshi Tanahashi — 8
Tetsuya Naito — 8
Zack Sabre Jr. — 8
Tomohiro Ishii — 8
Hirooki Goto — 6
Bad Luck Fale — 6
Togi Makabe — 6
Kota Ibushi — 6
YOSHI-HASHI — 4
Yuji Nagata — 0

B Block:

Kazuchika Okada — 12
Kenny Omega — 10
EVIL — 8
Minoru Suzuki — 8
SANADA — 8
Tama Tonga — 4
Michael Elgin — 4
Toru Yano — 4
Juice Robinson — 2
Satoshi Kojima — 0

NJPW G1 Climax 27 night four results: Okada vs. Elgin

Posted on by Bryan Rose

For the third day in a row, NJPW continued the G1 Climax with another show at Korakuen Hall. More B Block action took place this morning, including Kazuchika Okada vs. Michael Elgin in the main event.

Prelim results —

– Kota Ibushi, Togi Makabe & David Finlay defeated Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & Gedo when Finlay pinned Gedo with a stunner.

– Zack Sabre Jr. & El Desperado defeated YOSHI-HASHI & Jado when Desperado pinned Jado with the Angel’s Wings.

– Yuji Nagata & Tomoyuki Oka defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuya Kitamura when Nagata pinned Kitamura with a back suplex.

– Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi defeated Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi when Naito pinned Owens with a roll-up after giving him a low blow. Fale destroyed Daryl the cat during the match, ripping him to shreds. This left Hiromu Takahashi in shambles after the match.

B Block matches —

Toru Yano defeated Satoshi Kojima

Yano started the shenanigans early, actually gaining control at one point. Kojima quickly took back control, brawled with him around the ring, and laid him out with an elbow upon his return, then followed with the Koji cutter.

After Yano got a bit of a comeback, Kojima immediately retaliated with a lariat. He went for another, but Yano grabbed the ref and in the confusion, not only low blowed him once, but twice. He rolled Kojima up and got the surprise win. This was fun for what it was.

EVIL defeated Juice Robinson

Robinson started off hot, hitting the running cannonball and taking EVIL out with a plancha on the outside. Back in the ring, they exchanged some good back and forth. Robinson continued to gain momentum, planting EVIL with the Eat Defeat. Robinson hit a Kokeshi in honor of Tomoaki Honma, but EVIL kicked out.

EVIL started to make a comeback, but Robinson wiped him out with a lariat and followed up with a powerbomb. He went for the Pulp Friction until EVIL countered with a German suplex. Robinson made it to his feet quickly as they both struck each other with big spots. They tried to go for their finishers, but EVIL ended the back and forth with a big dragon suplex.

EVIL blasted him with a lariat, then followed with the STO for the win. They had an awesome match, probably the best of Robinson’s career so far and one of the better ones EVIL has had since his return. It had white hot heat for the vast majority of it with some great counters and transitions towards the end.

Minoru Suzuki defeated SANADA

Suzuki dominated the early part of the match, brawling with SANADA around the ring. SANADA started to gain momentum by dropkicking Suzuki twice in the leg. Desperado tried to interfere, but SANADA quickly dispatched him with a dropkick.

SANADA went for the Paradise lock, but Suzuki countered with an armbar. SANADA laid him out and was able to apply the Paradise lock, then dropkicked him. Suzuki came back with the sleeper and tried for the Gotch piledriver until SANADA powered out.

SANADA landed the TKO, but Suzuki came back with the sleeper once again and this time landed the Gotch piledriver, with authority, for the win. Good match.

Kenny Omega defeated Tama Tonga

Tonga jumped Omega immediately at the bell, as there was some bad blood in the tag match the two were in last night. They fought to the outside, where Tonga blasted him face-first on the apron. Tonga took a mic and ripped on The Elite, telling Omega to be part of Bullet Club. 

Tonga worked on Omega’s injured leg from the Suzuki match, landing a DDT. Omega started building some momentum back after a leg lariat and a hurricanrana. Omega wiped him out with a tope con hilo, taking out the rest of the Bullet Club on the outside.

Omega went for the V-Trigger, but Tonga fired back with a spear. Tonga hit a Pele kick, but Omega responded with two V-Triggers. Omega went for the One Winged Angel until Tonga countered with an inverted DDT. 

Tonga tried for the Gun Stun, but Omega lifted him back up and laid him out, hitting the One Winged Angel for the win. This was a really good, quick-paced match.

Kazuchika Okada defeated Michael Elgin

After a slow feeling out period, Okada placed Elgin past the barricade and tried to hop over it with a crossbody, but Elgin grabbed him and laid him out with two bodyslams. Okada came back and actually tried to hit the stalling suplex, but Elgin fought it off. Okada hit some clotheslines in the corner, but Elgin grabbed him and dropped him with a German suplex. 

Elgin took Okada to the top rope, but Okada fought him along the way. Elgin grabbed him when they were both back down and landed a huge forearm shot. Okada came back with the Heavy Rain and an elbow off the top. Elgin fought back, but Okada took him out when he was on the top rope with a dropkick that sent him out of the ring.

Okada tried for a missile dropkick, but Elgin caught him in mid-air with a powerbomb. Hot back-and-forth action followed. Okada hit a German suplex and went for the Rainmaker, but Elgin struck back with a clothesline, then another. Elgin put Okada in the Razor’s Edge position and then hit a powerbomb for a close near fall. 

Elgin went for the deadlift superplex, but Okada escaped. Elgin launched himself off the top rope, but Okada followed with a dropkick. They made it to the apron, where Elgin tried the superplex spot again. Standing on his feet, he hit an enormous superplex for another near fall.

Elgin hit the buckle bomb and went for the Elgin bomb until Okada escaped. Elgin took him out with a powerbomb. Elgin went for the Burning Hammer, but Okada landed on his feet and hit the Rainmaker, then another.

Elgin fired back with more shots, but Okada powered through and hit the tombstone, then another Rainmaker for the win in an excellent back-and-forth match.

Okada cut a promo to end the show. This was another night of great matches. Okada vs. Elgin probably gets match of the night, but Robinson vs. EVIL is not too far behind 

Current standings —

A Block:

  • Tetsuya Naito — 4
  • Hirooki Goto — 4
  • Zack Sabre Jr. — 2
  • YOSHI-HASHI — 2
  • Bad Luck Fale — 2
  • Tomohiro Ishii — 2
  • Kota Ibushi — 2
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi — 2
  • Yuji Nagata — 0
  • Togi Makabe — 0

B Block:

  • Kenny Omega — 4
  • Kazuchika Okada — 4
  • Tama Tonga — 2
  • SANADA — 2
  • Juice Robinson — 2
  • EVIL — 2
  • Toru Yano — 2
  • Minoru Suzuki — 2
  • Michael Elgin — 0
  • Satoshi Kojima — 0